"We, however, are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule." - Philippians 3:20-21 (GNB)Large companies usually have an "Expat" program, where they temporarily send citizens to work in other countries. I have friends and a son who were expats to Nigeria, and I know expats from elsewhere.
They have a different outlook than the local citizens. They spend money, but not usually on permanent things to be left behind; they want to save their own money, content with the living expenses provided by their company. They are interested to varying degrees in local politics but only for benevolence and their own temporary safety. They regularly communicate with loved ones at "home". They meet socially with other expats from their country reminiscing on common experiences. They all look forward their return though they don't always know when.
Heaven has an expatriate program, and we who have given our lives to Christ are in it. We are to live with an expat point of view, being content with God's provisions1 , benevolently working with local politics2 but not getting too upset recognizing this world is not our home, communicating with our heavenly Father regularly3 , meeting with other heavenly expats4 , and awaiting our repatriation.
Question: How would my actions change if I considered myself one of heaven's expats?
1 1st Timothy 6:6-8
2 Jeremiah 29:7
3 1st Thessalonians 5:17
4 Hebrews 10:25
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