Knowing Your Heritage

People put a lot of value into their ancestors. They spend money to find out their heritage, and seek to find any information available about themselves. While knowing our physical being is great, we are reminded that there is a greater heritage into which we should search. Paul, while writing to the church at Philippi, reminds them of this important truth: 

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” Philippians 3:17

Our earthly bodies are temporary, but our spiritual lives last for eternity. When we choose to focus on things of the world, we miss out on the time and opportunity to know who we are in Christ. Not only can we read our Bible, pray, and be in communion with God in those ways, but we can also look to faithful men and women who have gone before us in our faith. Some of the greatest testimonies of the Christian faith is the great theologians who have since passed, yet devoted their entire lives to Christ. Paul reminds the church at Philippi to join in imitating Christ, by watching and imitating those who walk accordingly. He goes on to say: 

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21

One day, we will be reunited with God, but until that day, may we remember that our citizenship and heritage is not of this world, but from God.  May we focus our minds in this earthly body always on bringing glory to God, and to set a testimony to those who come behind us in our faith. May we be able to look back on our lives, as Timothy did, and say: 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  2 Timothy 4:7