I've never been in exile---literally.  I've often felt exiled in my life for brief moments: exiled from God, because of my sin, exiled from friends, exiled from the "in" group, exiled from family when we lived far away from them, exiled from ... you get the idea!  In Micah 5:3b, Micah tells us that one day the Israelites will return from exile to their own land:  Then at last his fellow countrymen  will return from exile to their own land.

As I mentioned in my message on Sunday, some folks have discounted Jesus as the Messiah or Ruler prophesied by Micah, because the Israelites did NOT return to their own land during Jesus' lifetime--not as free people anyway!  That's because the Israelites foresaw only ONE coming of the Messiah, not two.  Jesus came to earth the first time to bring us out of exile from God.  Our sin separates us from God, and Jesus' payment of the penalty we owe God for our sins through His death on the cross, brings us out of exile.  Our "homeland" is nowhere on this planet, because we were created for eternity.  The second time Jesus comes, He will take us to our homeland.  We will live with Him and all those who have trusted Him through the ages for eternity.

Many folks forget that these days.  We get so caught up in NOW, that we forget forever is our destiny.  Take some time right now, to consider what it means to live with Jesus forever, to have our "exile" to sin and death broken, and for us to be in relationship with the living God FOREVER!  Jesus' first coming broke sins stranglehold on our lives.  His second coming will bring a return to our true "homeland" forever!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Jesus to bring us out of exile to sin and death!  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live fully in the freedom from sin Jesus died to give us. This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.