November 13 - Sojourning in Meshech

Although we are not of the world, we all live in the world. The world is our place of sojourning, just for this life while we all are citizens of heaven with our own unique missions and cultures. Our King is coming back to take back the world and before that, we are in constant warfare and conflict with the world and the sons of the world. The devil is the ruler and prince of this world and he is pushing his own agenda in direct opposition to God’s Kingdom agenda. He wishes ill for humanity while God wants all to be saved.

Dwelling for a long time with other children of the world in a certain place could have damaging results for the children of God. Like what the psalmist laments, “Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.” When we live in a place long enough, we take on the spirit of that land, the culture of the people and the customs of the place.

There was much conflict between God’s people and the people of the land. Prior to entering the Promised Land, the Lord repeatedly warned His people not to succumb to the culture and religion of the land. In a land where people exercise their lying lips and deceitful tongues, in a land where everyone are for war, in a place where commerce and prosperity reign supreme, in a land when people elevate themselves above God in pride and self-reliance, the children of God need to take a stand. We are not going to change our position and beliefs simply because others do not subscribe to them. Our Christian culture needs to change the local cultures and not the other way around.

God’s Kingdom agenda is to bring the gospel to the ends of the world and make every person Kingdom citizens. We are then to teach them to observe all that Christ has taught us. Then God will be with us, changing the terrible state of the earth into the Kingdom of God. We pray the Lord’s Prayer that God’s Kingdom may come and God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The whole agenda is about changing the human cultures into Kingdom culture. Instead of just pointing out the ills of society and humankind, we also need to point others to the right way in establishing God’s Kingdom on earth and that is true evangelism.

Are you taking on the thinking pattern of the world? How are you affected by the popular culture of the land you live in? When Abram moved to Canaan, he did not adopt his home culture nor take on the culture of the land. Instead he began a new culture of God by building altars of worship in a land of many idols. Do you have such resolution in beginning a Kingdom culture where you live?