Forced from Home

I was reading about the Jewish residents being forced out of their homes in the Gaza Strip. How many times has this happened? Look through biblical history and see that it happens over and over again.
The soldiers were coming into their homes and giving them their eviction notices. While there, the soldiers were given pictures by the children of the evictees. Can you imagine the tug of the heart strings as these little children are run out of the only home they've ever known? Where do they go now?
Paul Harvey mentioned today that it's like Fiddler on the Roof where the people are driven from their homes. This time, not by the tsar or a pharoah or a conquering king, but their own countrymen.
Peter writes his letter to "strangers." (I Peter 1:1) He says to live our lives as strangers. (I Peter 1:17) He tells us that, as aliens and strangers, we are to abstain from sinful desires. (I Peter 2:11) Perhaps we should live as the Jewish settlers in Gaza. Knowing that our homes here are only temporary. Many of my favorite hymns are the ones about heaven.
"This world is not my home. I'm just a passin' through."
"To Canaan's land I'm on my way where the soul never dies."
"On Jordan's stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye."
"Just one glimpse of Him in glory will the toils of life repay."
"O Zioin, Zion, I long thy gates to see."
"No tears in heaven, no sorrows given, all will be glory in that land."
And then there's Chris Rice's Untitled Hymn. "With your final heartbeat, kiss the world goodbye. Go in peace and laugh on glory's side. And fly to Jesus. Fly to Jesus. Fly to Jesus and live."
I pray that we won't have to be forced from this earthly home. It's kind of like Paul's "rock and a hard place" speech in Philippians. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." (Philippians 1:21-24) Keep your eyes looking up. Continue to look for His coming. I'll see you there someday, if not before.
"Won't it be wonderful there, having no burdens to bear? Joyously singing with heart bells all ringing. O won't it be wonderful there?" Have a great day! JW