"You don't belong here," said one.
"You don't belong here, either," said another.
"But I was born and raised here! I have the DNA of a known indigenous group of this country!" countered the bewildered unaccepted citizen who wasn't a citizen.
These people who come under this unfortunate scenario are often termed "stateless". One or both parents may be registered citizens of the particular country but for a variety of reasons their offspring have not been accepted by the state.
Perhaps due to oversight or lack of educated knowledge, registering the birth of a newborn baby was neglected or the parents just did not have the ways or means with which to comply to the requirements of the laws of the land. This often becomes a life long plight; a frustrating stateless plight, for the individual.
I'm not talking about illegal aliens finagling their way into another country, but those who should legitimately be accepted by their respective country. They have trouble getting into schools for education; getting jobs for financial security; drivers' licences; a passport, or any other number of basic things that the confirmed citizen would take for granted of obtaining in due process.
Then there's the stigma of being "stateless". They are often a forgotten or ignored segment of society; looked down upon in many cases, the person feeling unwanted, always off keel and never quite feeling the security of belonging.
The good news is that there is one country that will never turn away its true citizens. The top Minister of Birth Registry in this country is God Himself through Jesus Christ. This country of course, is Heaven. God recognizes His children. He's got our names written down in His book of life (Revelation 19:15), and He'll never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
John 1:12-13 give the assurance...
"Yet to all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God."
This is grace and this is truth. Believing in Jesus Christ as Savior is our "birth certificate" into God's family and our "passport" into Heaven where all who believe will be safe, sure and happy. We can actually have peace of mind on this matter here and now.
What is our confidence? The seal of guarantee God has also given to those who believe and are His children; the seal of the Holy Spirit.
We are sealed with the Holy Spirit. According to 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 where Paul writes to the Corinthian believers (and to us who believe)...
"...it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
Together then, the Holy Spirit of God and we, God's children, can say with confidence in God our Heavenly Father, and His Word, "Come! Bring us Home to You!" (Revelation 22:17).
On Lord's Day, when we, God's children, remember what Jesus has done for us by receiving the bread and wine, symbols of Jesus' death on the cross to gain our atonement, let us also be thankful for the family tie and citizenship gained as part of the, "all He has done for us".
Believers belong to Heaven and God acknowledges our full rights of citizenship through Jesus Christ His beloved Son.
We can be secure in this knowledge even though born in this foreign country called Earth.
~ERC August 2018~
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