My wife and I just returned after spending 25 days in Europe. I love travel, and I especially love Europe. I enjoy walking through cathedrals, sampling new foods, and trying out my smattering of French or German or Spanish or Hungarian and seeing how people react. This trip I even pulled out a Romanian “You’re Welcome!” I learned 30-some years ago. I get a few laughs—and more than a few stares.

While I enjoy all that Europe brings, I’m never totally at home. People treat me well, I notice lots of similarities to my life here in the US, but I cannot quite settle in. Why? Because I’m a foreigner.

Peter addressed followers of Jesus scattered throughout Asia Minor as exiles. He encouraged them to live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

My feelings from Europe mirror Peter’s statement. I enjoy the good things the Lord brings, but this world is not my home. When I feel uneasy, or not quite settled, or frustrated with the culture I inhabit, I need to remember my status as a foreigner.

I sadly left cafe con leches in Spain, chocolates in Switzerland, and stroopwafels in Holland when I returned to my comfortable home in Colorado. But even here I’m a foreigner, and I look forward to a final address in glory.

1 Peter 1 in week forty-one of reading the Bible cover to cover

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