Wandering
in the wilderness and journeying to the Promised Land is a major theme in the
Biblical story. It wasn’t just the people
who were freed at the Exodus for whom this applied. Throughout the narrative of God and his people,
the theme of being on a journey is prominent.
Those who were exiled in the 6th century BC longed for their
native land. And even those who
returned, never quite felt like they had truly made it home and so looked forward
to a new exodus through a messianic deliverer.
Followers
of Christ still long for our new home, our true home in the renewed heavens and
the renewed earth. In the meantime, we’re
left in limbo – content to be here, but longing for something more. The essence of this feeling is captured in a
little known poem called A Little Bit of
Longing. “And on this earth, this
globe, this round ball, spinning round and round. We’re not just travelling round in circles;
we’re headed for higher ground. A
renewed city, a renewed country, renewed heavens, and a renewed earth – From the
shell of the old creation, a transformed creation will come to birth. Though I hope for that bright future – new roots,
new soil, and a new home. I’m left in
limbo at the moment, content to be here, yet longing still to roam. So living here and living now – living – and yet
never quite belonging. This
cross-cultured existence will always leave me with a little bit of longing.” - Shay
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