Philippians 3:20 says, “We, however, are citizens of heaven. We look forward to the Lord Jesus Christ coming from heaven as our Savior.” (GW)
As believers in Christ Jesus, we are citizens of heaven. Our true home and the place we will be returning to one day, with great expectation, are not our homes here on earth, but heaven. It does not mean our time on earth is to no avail, but we are here only for a short period of time compared to our eternity that awaits us in heaven.
What are we supposed to do then while we are on earth?
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 3:1, “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” (NIV)
God has called each one of us with a heavenly calling to fulfil on earth. We are not here by accident, but we were all created for a specific time in a specific place with a specific purpose. No one else can fulfil the calling that God placed on your life except you! God has equipped you with everything you need to fulfil His will for your life. You remain a citizen of heaven, but God gave you a work permit on earth and it only expires once you have completed what He called you to do.
Each work permit has been issued with its own job description, the place where the work should be conducted and the duration of time in which the work must be completed. When God created us, He issued each of us with our own specific work permits for what He requires us to do while we are on earth.
None of us were created to be someone else. Each one of us was created with a unique identity, position and purpose to be who God meant for each of us to be. We are God’s representatives from heaven here on earth and each with his or her own purpose. (2 Corinthians 5:20) We may be in this world, but we are not from this world. When God breathed life into us in our mothers’ wombs, He deposited our citizenship of heaven into our beings. The day we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we received our citizenship and from that day on, we no longer live for ourselves, but only for the purpose which God called us to.
There is only one way that we can fulfil the calling God has on our lives and that is by fixing our eyes and thoughts on Jesus and let Him lead and guide us. Our ultimate goal is to return to heaven where we are from, but that will only be once God calls us home upon the expiration of our work permits here on earth.
The same way we are honored to represent our countries here on earth, the same honor it should be for us to represent God on earth. Our representation might be of a short duration, but the purpose and effect thereof is forever written by God’s hand. Take a moment and reflect on this reality for your life… You are a citizen of heaven with a work permit on earth.