“به ایمان بود که ابراهیم هنگامی که فرا خوانده شد، اطاعت کرد و حاضر شد به جایی رود که بعدها به میراث مییافت؛ و هرچند نمیدانست کجا میرود، روانه شد. به ایمان بود که در سرزمین موعود، همچون بیگانهای در دیار غریب خانه به دوش گردید و همانند اسحاق و یعقوب که با او وارث همان وعده بودند، در خیمهها ساکن شد. زیرا چشمانتظار شهری بود با بنیاد، که معمار و سازندهاش خداست. به ایمان بود که ابراهیم توانایی یافت نسلی داشته باشد، با اینکه سارا نازا و خود او نیز سالخورده بود؛ چرا که وعدهدهنده را امین شمرد. اینگونه، از یک تن، آن هم از کسی که تقریباً مرده بود، نسلی کثیر همچون ستارگان آسمان، و بیشمار مانند شنهای کنارۀ دریا، پدید آمد. اینان همه در ایمان درگذشتند، در حالی که وعدهها را هنوز نیافته بودند، بلکه فقط آنها را از دور دیده و خوشامد گفته بودند. ایشان تصدیق کردند که بر زمین، بیگانه و غریبند. آنان که چنین سخن میگویند، آشکارا نشان میدهند که در جستجوی وطنی هستند. اگر به سرزمینی میاندیشیدند که ترکش کرده بودند، فرصت بازگشت میداشتند. امّا مشتاق سرزمینی نیکوتر بودند، مشتاق وطنی آسمانی. از همین رو، خدا عار ندارد خدای ایشان خوانده شود، زیرا شهری برایشان مهیا کرده است.”
عبرانیان 11:8-16 NMV
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[a] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance,admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,for he has prepared a city for them.
Your NEW COUNTRY is heaven. We are all strangers here on the earth! We belong THERE in heaven!
Yet we are here!
But why?
A wise man once said, “Those who sit beside Jesus and participate in the plan to save other humans are always closer to Jesus and enjoy His friendship and companionship.”
In Matthew 6 Jesus notices the need of the multitude, in Genesis 2, God knew the need of his man, Adam, for companionship, Adam didn’t know! How could he? It was an unexplained missing part, perhaps emptiness within him! God knew!
This is my prayer for you, Vahid:
God supply our needs! Fund your work! Set Vahid free to raise his children, make Christ known, and to be our brother in Christ, fellow worker in the kingdom! Amen
Running Down Vimy 