The World

Today I long for the world.

The wind in my hair, ocean spray on my face, and seagull calls scattered through the air, the call to prayer crashing through the air into my ears five times a day. I long for the sound of unfamiliar voices speaking unfamiliar languages. I long to be challenged by culture, language, way of life, customs, and time zones.

Today I long for the world.

The sand exfoliating my face as the wind rubs it against my skin; my feet in my sandals not to be as clean as they were when I left my room this morning until I get back and scrub the dirt off of them; the water - as blue and clear as any other water in the world; my hair getting lighter as the sun beats down upon it bleaching the color out of it little by little, lighter than it has ever been; my skin ever growing darker as it is kissed by each individual light beam. I long to be on the beach, listening to the waves, swimming in the water, building in the sand.

(PC: Donna Lupton)

Today I long for the world.

The cobblestone roads leading to who knows where, as we follow them for the sake of finding new places (that haven't actually been new since hundreds of years ago), the small alleyways resounding the clopping of our feet as we make our way through the narrow streets. The swell of excitement as we come to a new corner where anything in the world could be hidden on the other side, the smiles -- plastered onto our faces; unable to be removed because of the sheer joy of everything around us, having no inkling of what we are about to come face-to-face with, but every millisecond more ready to see what it is.

Each corner...

More exciting and unpredictable...

Than the one before...

Today I long for the world in all of its parts, with all of the best adventure, experiences, and challenges it has to offer. Maybe that's because I grew up exploring the world. Maybe that's because I've been in one place for almost six months and I'm ready for a change. Maybe that's because finals are coming and I don't want to face the stress of the reality ahead of me. Maybe it's because I'm tired. Maybe it's because I thrive on adventure.

To be honest, today is not abnormal. Nearly every time I pull myself away from the demands of the world and the stresses of class, I long for some other place, some other culture, some other weather, some other people. Why do I long so much for other parts of the world? Why do these feelings overtake me on such a regular basis?

Because I wasn't actually meant to live in one place. I wasn't meant to live in one city, one county, one state, one country, one continent, one hemisphere, or even one world.

"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through HIM then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge HIS name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

-Hebrews 13:14-16

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who will transform our lowly body to be like HIS glorious body, by the power that enables HIM even to subject all things to HIMSELF."

- Philippians 3:20-21

And so today, as I long for the world, I realize that this is just a part of my eternal spirit calling me to strive for the LORD; its good intentions twisted by my human frailty and fallenness. Today I am reminded to push toward HIS will and HIS eternal home for me. Today I realize that I am human, and if I were to act on every impulse I would waste my life away, as so many others without the power of Christ in them have done before me.

Today I choose to stay here. Today I choose, against everything that is me, to seek out and find what the LORD has for me here. Today I choose CHRIST.