Pam Padgett ... teacher
Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
Recently I heard of laws, and efforts to pass laws, in the United States which would force employers to recognize and extend benefits to homosexual "partners". I moaned in grief when I heard this and turned to God, recounting other evils that are already protected by laws or commonly accepted in the world, and asking help for me and all others who love the ways of God and hate evil.
Soon after this, Psalm 33:12 stood out to me. I thought of how all who belong to God, having the Holy Spirit living within them and being led by the Holy Spirit in obedience to the word of God, are a people, a nation, whose God is the Lord. And we are blessed because God guides us by His Spirit in the ways of righteousness.
Like those who have believed God before us, we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth and seek the heavenly place God has prepared for us ...
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
While we live on this earth, we try to obey and uphold the word of God in our lives, seeking to serve Him above all, knowing within ourselves that we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth.