Life as Strangers on a Journey
(Hebrew 11:13-14)
"Where does life come from, and where is it going?" This is a question that naturally comes to mind for many as they journey through life. Even a person who has worked hard and achieved much may find that it does not provide an answer to the ultimate meaning and direction of life. King Solomon, who enjoyed the heights of wealth, honor, and worldly pleasures, concluded at the end of his life, "All is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2). We must remember that life is like the journey of a stranger, who came into the world empty-handed and must return to God the same way.

1. Life as strangers
The author of Hebrews testifies that the forefathers of our faith, as recorded in Scripture, lived as strangers and aliens on this earth (Hebrews 11:13). One notable example is Jacob, the patriarch of the twelve tribes of Israel, who fled on a long journey to Haran, the home of his uncle, to escape the hatred of his brother Esau. This journey covered roughly 900 kilometers through a wilderness where the days were unbearably hot, and the nights bitterly cold. This solitary and difficult journey seemed to reflect the broader challenges of Jacob’s life. Later, when Jacob was invited to Egypt by his son Joseph, who had become a high-ranking official, he stood before Pharaoh and said, "The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty" (Genesis 47:9). Just as Jacob confessed, we Christians also live as sojourners in this world. We are not permanent residents but temporary dwellers, much like a family living in a foreign land away from their true home. As we navigate this brief life, may we live purposefully, walking closely with Jesus, and maintaining an unwavering attitude of absolute gratitude and absolute positivity as we fulfill the mission entrusted to us.
　　　
2. A country of our own to go
　　　This world is not our eternal home. Our true homeland is the Kingdom of Heaven, where God dwells. For those who are in Christ, death is not the end, but the beginning of eternal life in an everlasting realm. Scripture reveals that our faithful forefathers were "seeking a homeland" (Hebrews 11:14). Moreover, Jesus Himself promised that He has gone ahead to prepare a place for us in that eternal home (John 14:2-3). All who believe in Jesus as their Savior and receive His salvation will one day enter that eternal home to live with God forever. By holding on to the hope of Heaven, we can overcome every trial and hardship, gaining victory through faith. I earnestly pray that we all live with the hope of our heavenly home firmly in our hearts, as we eagerly await the glorious return of our Lord Jesus.