He Called Us Foreign Strangers
He Called Us Foreign Strangers
The other morning I was sitting with my scriptures and a cup of hot chocolate when I came across a phrase that made me stop.
Foreign Strangers.
I leaned back in my chair and thought, Now that's an interesting way to describe people.
For a minute, I wondered if I should even keep reading.
Then I did.
The more I read, the more I realized they weren't trying to offend anyone. They were simply describing people who would someday come across the great waters to a land that wasn't originally theirs.
Then I had one of those moments where I just sat there quietly.
I thought...
"Hey...that's you."
My ancestors came from somewhere else.
Most of yours probably did too.
In a very real sense, we are the foreign strangers.
But here's the part that touched my heart.
The record wasn't written to condemn us.
It was written to prepare us.
It says there would be people who would chase riches. Others who would seek power. Some who would forget God altogether.
Honestly...
That sounds a lot like the world we live in today.
But the prophecy didn't stop there.
It also spoke of people who would hear the voice of the Peacemaker.
People who would humble themselves.
People who would love one another.
People who would become one family in Christ.
Now that's a prophecy I want to be part of.
The older I get, the less interested I am in deciding who belongs and who doesn't.
I'd rather spend my time asking a different question.
Am I listening to the Shepherd today?
Because I don't think the Savior is looking at passports.
I don't think He's asking what church name is on the building we attend.
I think He's looking much deeper.
He's looking at our hearts.
Can we forgive?
Can we repent?
Can we love?
Can we hear His voice when He quietly whispers, "Come follow Me"?
I've been wrong about plenty of things in my life.
The older I get, the more I realize I don't know nearly as much as I once thought I did.
But there are a few things I do know.
I know Jesus Christ lives.
I know He has been unbelievably patient with me.
And I know that every time I've sincerely turned toward Him, He's been there long before I arrived.
Maybe that's what this ancient prophecy has been trying to teach me all along.
Perhaps being a "foreign stranger" was never the real issue.
The real question is...
Will I remain a stranger to Christ?
I pray the answer is no.
One step at a time.
One day at a time.
One quiet whisper at a time.
And maybe, just maybe, that's how He gathers all His children home.
If these thoughts resonate with you, I invite you to do what I try to do. Don't just take someone else's word for it—including mine. Read. Pray. Ask God. Seek Jesus Christ with all your heart, and follow wherever His Spirit leads.
Our Nemenhah scripture study meets every Sunday at 8:00 AM Pacific on Zoom. People from many different backgrounds join us with one purpose—to seek the Peacemaker together. If you'd like information, feel free to reach out.
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