Passing through

I was born in Richmond, came to life in Chesapeake, went to college in Lynchburg, served in Bassett & Crewe. Virginia born and bred, I’m now North Carolina bound. I love this Commonwealth, AND it’s weather. To all the fair-weather Virginians loving the warmth who were cursing the fickle weather last week I say- love all of her. After all, she is an Old Dominion…

I posted this on my Facebook status earlier today because I saw all the people celebrating the 70-80° weather we’re experiencing today.  The old saying here in Virginia is “Welcome to Virginia! Don’t like the weather? Wait five minutes!”  So naturally, the same folks who have been touting the wonderful southern weather of Virginia were also cursing the hot flashes our commonwealth was going through last week.  We were in the 60’s one day -wearing short sleeves, and in the 30’s the next – back in our coats.

So, I thought I would declare my love for the Old Dominion state, and her fickle weather, for all to see on Facebook.  (Didn’t I just say yesterday this wasn’t going to be “bash Facebook” week?)  As I was writing that simple status update though, I got a bit misty because I realized that within the next few weeks, I will no longer be a resident of Virginia.

For those who aren’t connected to me on Facebook, I just announced that I will be taking a new position at Hillmon Grove Baptist in Cameron, North Carolina.  I’m excited about the things God has in store, but it’s dawning on me, perhaps for the first time, that I will no longer live in my home state.  This struck me as odd, because I’ve moved around all my life.  I went to three different schools the first three years I went to school!  I’ve forgotten more phone numbers than most people have ever had.  But, no matter where I’ve lived, it’s always been in Virginia.  Not anymore…

My beautiful wife once told me while we were dating that if we were to be married, her home would be wherever I am.  She was so right!  We’ve been married almost 8 years now, and we’ve lived in a spare bedroom, an apartment at a children’s camp, a four-plex apartment, our first purchased home, and a parsonage!  Keelie is my constant.

All that to say this: North Carolina is not my home.

But ya know what?  Virginia is not my home either.  As emotional as this time might be, it’s not devastating because I know that ultimately I’m just passing through.  I’ve spent just shy of thirty years in Virginia as a sojourner, a foreigner, a stranger in a strange land.  Like Abraham of old, I’m looking ahead.

⁸ By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ~Hebrews 11:8-10

I named my second son Tripp, to remind him and our whole family that this world is not our home.  We’re just on a trip.  We are passing through this dying world, and our citizenship lies in the New Jerusalem.

We live in this world.  We serve here.  We love the people here.  We seek the good of the city in which we live.  But ultimately, we are ambassadors of a Great King, and one day we will go home to His great Kingdom.  Just as Keelie said that I am her home, so it is true the where God is, that must be our home. Heaven is not great because the streets are golden and the gates are pearly. Heaven is great because Jesus is there!

Because of this, we do not hold to this world’s standards.  We subscribe to the values of our King.  We do not hold too tightly to anything that cannot make the journey home with us, for we are just passing through.