Permanent Resident

A group of four of us were scheduled to spend about three hours with a University student yesterday afternoon. The exercise was to allow us to "walk in the shoes" of typical student.

My student was junior, majoring in one of the sciences. She wants to be a Veterinarian.

Her smile, personality, smarts, poise and drive to succeed won us over in less than a minute. I have no doubt that she will be very successful in both her personal and professional life. Her passion in pursuing a "meaningful life" was a privilege to observe and experience firsthand.

Her "story" was riveting as much as it was revealing.

Born in Mexico City, her father decided to pursue the "American Dream". He moved the whole family to the Chicago area seventeen years ago.

Just last week... hear those three words one more time... "Just last week" she became a "Permanent Resident" of the United States of America. Just within the last few months her mom became a citizen. American citizenship still eludes her dad and not because he's not trying. Mom recovering from cancer, parents filing for bankruptcy has not diminished their desire for their daughter to "get an education." As a junior, my student is not in debt. Her parents have found a way to fund her education. My student is debt free...

Welcome to America Maria...

My iWitness...

The four of us sat dumbfounded with quizzical looks, with furrowed brows, with eyes wide open in disbelief as Maria told us, "It's a very long... very long process to gain citizenship."

Here's the good news!!

The process to become a "permanent resident" of the Heavenly Kingdom doesn't take seventeen years! It doesn't even take seventeen seconds.

It only takes one breath to say these seventeen syllables...

"I trust and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior."

"Isn't there more to the process," we protest!

"It can't be that easy! Don't I have to "do" something first? Isn't there a form to fill out and file, a committee to review, an interview to go through, a background check, retina scan...?"

Here's the answer our hearts long to hear but our minds can't comprehend, "No!"

With one breath, with one sentence, with one confession, with one recognition that I am bankrupt, with trust that it is only through Jesus that I can be healed of the cancerous sin in my life, with just one profession of faith we become "Permanent Residents" of the Heavenly Kingdom...debt free!

"Is that fair? Is that due process? Is that the proper procession of paying my dues working my way up the ladder?" No... it's called "grace."

And if we can open our eyes wide enough to see... there's Jesus, along with all the angels, with arms stretched wide with one word on his lips...

"Welcome..."

"...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”(Romans 10. 9-12)

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."
(2 Corinthians 2. 13-15)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
(Ephesians 2. 8-10)

"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 that's my iWitness
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!