580. Alien Invasion, Julie Harwick

Women World Leaders' Podcast

God’s Word consistently reminds us that we are strangers and aliens to this world, but have we done such a good job of assimilating that no one can tell that we don’t belong here?

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Welcome to Women World Leaders podcast. I’m your host, Julie Harwick. Thank you for joining me today as we celebrate God’s grace in our lives, in this ministry and around the world.

One of my favorite sitcoms from the 90’s was Third Rock From the Sun. The premise was that four aliens were given human bodies and instructed to observe life on earth and report back to their home planet everything they learned. Of course, no one could know their true identity, but it was often difficult to hide. They knew nothing of gender roles, relationships, how families worked or human emotions. Trying to fit in and remain undetected was very challenging and always resulted in hilarious situations. Near the end of the show’s five-year run, they had learned much about human behavior, but they had become so entrenched in their lives on earth, some even falling in love for the first time, they couldn’t bear the thought of returning to their home planet.

In addition to providing great entertainment, the show also has a lot of parallels to the spiritual world. Hebrews chapter 11 gives us a list of people who came before us and pleased God because of their faith. God asked many of them to do hard things that involved risk and blind obedience. Certainly, that’s what the aliens of 3rd Rock were asked to do. They were instructed to go to a planet they had no knowledge of and carry out their orders without question. It was much like Abraham, who was called by God to leave his family and his people and travel to an unknown land where God would give him a whole new life. Verse nine says, “By faith, he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Issac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

Hebrews 11 goes on to mention other heroes of faith like Able, Enoch and Noah. Verse 13 says, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” Verse 16 explains why they held such attitudes. “They were longing for a better country – a heavenly one.”

We have that same heavenly country to long for and what’s more, we have a better idea of what it will be like than they did. They had no written word of God to read and study – only the knowledge of God that had been passed from one generation to the next. We have Old and New Testament prophecies as well as the words of Jesus that describe in some detail what is awaiting us in that “better country.” And yet, we often live as if we’ve forgotten that it even exists.

Our comfortable lifestyles make it particularly easy to forget about that “better country.” I have to admit that I find life here pretty good. I have plenty to eat, a home I love, a happy, healthy family, fulfilling work to do and plenty of leisure time as well. I’m most likely to start thinking about and longing for “that better country” when things here start to go wrong. When I feel the pain of an unstable economy, or I witness injustice, government corruption and rising crime or if someone I love is facing a serious illness…those are the times I long for a kingdom that is not of this world and remember that it’s where I truly belong.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of viewing heaven as an escape from the troubles of this world. But I think we’ve got it backwards when we think that way. God intended it to be the true home of every human being and our time on earth is designed to make that a reality for everyone who will receive the gift. Our time on earth is meant to be a time of preparation for ourselves and everyone we can possibly influence.

Jesus recognized our proclivity to focus on all the wrong things – apparently it wasn’t a problem unique to the time and place we live, because He addressed it with His followers. Luke 12: 32-34 says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Is Jesus saying we should all sell our homes, cars and clothing? He may call some of us to do that, but I believe what He’s really getting at is what we value. Are we looking to material possessions to make us feel secure and good about ourselves? If so, that’s what we treasure. And as He pointed out, those things can be stolen from us or destroyed because they only have earthly value. If we understand that He is our Good Shepherd and that the Father has already given us the kingdom, we have all we need and it has eternal value. Our security and our contentment should come from that knowledge.

The Apostle Paul built on that idea in his letter to Timothy, saying, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” What kind of life are we taking hold of? The life that is of this world is about pleasure, building a name for ourselves, gaining more material comforts, being admired and respected. According to Paul, and Jesus, that isn’t even truly life, just a sad, worldly copy of the real thing.

On the other hand, living the life that is truly life requires sacrifice, being focused on the needs of others and living in a way that may seem foreign to the people around us. There will be times when, like the aliens of 3rd Rock, we don’t fit in and there’s no hiding it. God may call us to do hard things as He did with Abraham. We may have to take risks and step into the unknown, but, as Abraham discovered, the blessings outweigh the cost.

Sometimes we choose the world’s version of life, not because we’re unwilling or afraid to do the hard things God asks of us, but because we get distracted. I remember hearing a Haitian pastor speak about what life was like in the community where he pastored. His people were desperately poor, having to subsist on what they could grow in their little gardens or found growing wild…maybe some eggs from a chicken or two. They had no electricity and very simple homes that barely provided shelter from the sun and rain. Their children didn’t go to college and build better lives with each successive generation. They faced tremendous opposition from powerful witchdoctors who were used to controlling everything that happened in the village. But these people loved Jesus, with a love that was pure and unwavering. They knew that He alone was their provider and protector. When they gathered for services they had no electricity for air conditioning, a worship team or slick video productions, but they sang together and worshipped with all their hearts. Before they went to bed, they read scripture and prayed by candlelight, knowing that God would provide for them tomorrow just as He had today. And they had witnessed miracles! The witchdoctor had threatened to put a curse on the pastor if he didn’t stop preaching the gospel, assuring him that he would be dead within three days. In spite of having seen the witchdoctor accomplish things they couldn’t explain, the church prayed for their pastor and stood firmly on God’s word. Three days later, the witchdoctor was dead, but their pastor was alive and well. As I listened to these stories, I found myself envying them. They were so focused on the true life that Paul spoke of. They lived in total dependence on God to provide food, shelter and protection. Their faith was simple and genuine. They didn’t waste time on social media, shopping online or watching TV. Those things weren’t available to them and they were better off for it. Of course, I always have the option of eliminating those things from my life or even using them more wisely. Maybe I could love Jesus simply and whole-heartedly just as they do if I keep my focus where it belongs and live the life that is truly life.

I recently learned something new about the Phillipians that Paul wrote to in the New Testament. The city of Phillipi was unique in that its’ residents were not only citizens of their home city, but of Rome as well. At that time, Roman citizenship offered protections, rewards and responsibilities. Rome didn’t want the people of Phillipi to move to Rome. They were expected to remain in Phillipi, representing the values and culture of Rome while furthering the interests of the Roman Empire. It’s no coincidence that Paul used the word ”citizenship” to describe how the Christians of Phillipi should live their lives of faith. Phillipians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” The Philippians would’ve understood that he meant they should participate in daily life where they were living, but be mindful of Who they represent and where they ultimately belong. And we can do the same. Rather than bemoaning the fact that God has placed us in this very imperfect world, we should make it our goal to represent Him and the life that is truly life. And if that causes us to seem a little out of step with what everyone around us is doing, that’s a sign that we’re getting it right.

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