God’s people are strangers and pilgrims in this world because there is more to life than our physical existence in this lifetime. When Abraham’s wife Sarah died, they were not living in their homeland. They were living in the land that the Lord would give to Abraham’s descendants, but He would fulfill that years later. By acting in faith, Abraham searched for a place to bury his wife, Sarah, in their future homeland.
Genesis 23:3 Then, leaving her body, he said to the Hittite elders, 4 “Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.” [1] In many ways, being both a stranger and a foreigner held a dual meaning for Abraham. He came from Ur of the Chaldeans and also understood that his true home was in heaven. Scripture beautifully affirms this. Psalm 39:12 Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest— a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. [2]
Our True Home is in Heaven
As I grow older, the reality that this earth is not home becomes increasingly evident. Being a stranger and a pilgrim reminds us that our ultimate destination and treasures lie elsewhere. It fosters awareness that this world, with its temptations and challenges, isn’t our final destination. When circumstances seem overwhelming, as believers, we can look beyond today to tomorrow.
Viewing life this way shifts my whole perspective on what truly matters. We are like Abraham, who traveled through the promised land without claiming a permanent residence until seeking a burial plot. God invites us to journey through life with an eternal perspective. This doesn’t mean withdrawal from the world but rather holding onto worldly things loosely as we grasp the lasting realities of God’s kingdom.
The apostle Peter reinforces this, urging believers to “abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul,” reminding us we are “foreigners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). Our lives should reflect the values and character of the true home we belong to, a home yet to be fully revealed.
Heaven Draws Our Gaze Upward
Our understanding of our pilgrim status draws our gaze to the “city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). When God draws my gaze upward, it provides hope amid my trials and strength to keep going. Understanding that our citizenship is in heaven unshackles us from anxieties and empowers us to live for something greater than ourselves.
When I begin to live a life for God, I discover true fulfillment. I have been fortunate to be mentored by others who lived their lives by this kind of faith. They demonstrated how God’s people are strangers and pilgrims on this earth. We, as believers, have the hope of resurrection.
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/a-journey-through-grief-and-hope
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.