Lent 2 C Our Citizenship is in Heaven

 Lent 2 C Our Citizenship is in Heaven

February 24, 2013

By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell

This verse from today’s reading from Genesis caught my attention: “As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a "deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.”

Abram was being sent off to a new and strange place to do something that he has never done before with people he has never met and he is afraid. I am sure that every one of us has suffered varying degrees of anxiety when we find ourselves in new situations with people we don’t know and who don’t know us. A homesick camper is real! A homesick camper is true to life! The camper wants to call home and check in with his or her family.

Abram says to God, but I have no family, I have no offspring. Where do I turn for comfort and help? And God says, relax, don’t be afraid. Then the story continues: God brought him outside and tells Abram to count the stars; and Abram says, yeah, count the stars! And God says to Abram, “That will be the number of your descendants.” (Just for the fun of it I asked Google for the number of stars and the answer was 200-400 billion stars in our own Milky Way. If you want to know the number of stars beyond the Milky Way, the safest answer would be a really, really, really big number).  I think this was God’s way of saying, Abram, when it comes to family, you’re covered.

It is important to know that we belong and that someone cares. For the homesick camper, that assurance is family. Part of my job as a camp director was to try to comfort any homesick campers before they made the dreaded phone call home. What worked best for me was to spend some time with them. I would say, “Before you make that phone call home, let’s go sailing or canoeing. Let’s meet some of the counselors and campers.” Hopefully, the focus would change from dread to curiosity. Before you know it, you’ll meet a neat bunch of wonderful people who will enjoy teaching you new skills and sharing stories. 

That’s our contact with every camper. All the camper has to do is to believe it, and join in. when we find ourselves in the “deep and terrifying darkness” we need to put ourselves in a place where we can hear these words of comfort: From today’s psalm –

“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom then shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom then shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27 would be a good place to turn when we feel up-tight and anxious. Here’s another verse –

“Await the Lord’s pleasure; 
Be strong, and He shall comfort your heart;
Wait patiently for the Lord.

My understanding of what it means to be “saved” is knowing and believing that you belong in God’s family of loving kindness. I am “saved” because I know and believe that even though I have not earned or deserve God’s grace my “yes” to His promise is all that is necessary to be welcomed in. Paul put it like this: “Our citizenship is in heaven.” Citizenship, according to the dictionary implies; Allegiance, Responsibilities, Privileges, and Protection. Our “heavenly citizenship” is not some future…. “When I get to Heaven” concept…. It is right here and now. 

I once mistakenly complained to our daughter Kathy, that the hardest thing about my job was that the rewards for believing were passed out in heaven after you died. Kathy corrected me, “Dad” she said, “The rewards of heaven are as close as my kitchen phone.”

We are citizens of heaven right now. Are you anxious, worried, concerned, apprehensive, fearful? Then come unto me, says the Lord, and I will refresh you. Let the love and family that is freely given here, shed some warm light on your “terrifying darkness,” Then Paul says, “Stand firm in the Lord!”

I don’t think anyone in this Christian family would disagree with our roll as citizens of heaven. We would, I believe, be ready and willing to join Christ as He reaches out like a mother hen, to “Gather His children under His wings.” I love the ministry of Grace Church, to the children of Dayton who have needs beyond means. May the Lord help us to continue that good work and perhaps find creative ways to improve it. 

When I think of you and the good things you are a part of in this community I say, “This is heaven.”

Brand names are important because in time – just by seeing or hearing the name – we know what to expect. We call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ. That is our brand name if you will. When we hear that name, what do you expect? How do we see ourselves as Disciples of Christ.

What do we have to share from our abundance that would cause people to say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Back in the days when doctors made house calls, I could see my mother’s great relief when doctor Schoberg arrived with his little black bag. When I make hospital calls, I realize that what ever I bring to that meeting… gets passed to the patent. That is why I learned to say this prayer as I entered the hospital: “Lord, heal me.”

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

And when I leave the hospital, knowing that when we get focused on ourselves…. we may miss healing opportunities, I say this prayer: “Lord, have mercy.”  

[pictured below—Grace Episcopal Church, Dayton]