Volume 65 December 2026-January 2026 : Mokanoki

When my brother died at the age of 59 I told myself that life is not fair to our family at all. I was afriad to blame God for his death. I had seen relatives and friend but it never  crossed my mind  that my brother or myself would die at any point. At the back of my mind I knew that  death was a reality. We are all going to die one day. In this issue, I would like us to examine the third metaphon life. “Life on earth is a temporary assignment.”

The Bible is full of metaphors that teach about the brief, temporary, transient nature of life on earth.  Life is described as a mist, a fast runner, a breath, and a wisp of smoke.   We learn from the scripture that, “… we were born but yesterday……Our days on earth are as transient as a shadow.”

Rick Warren in his book, The purpose Driven Life, advices us that if we want to make the best of ours live, we must never forget two truths:  First, compared with eternity, life is extremely brief.  Second, earth is only a temporary residence.  You won`t be here long, so don`t get too attached.  Ask God to help you see life on earth as he sees it.  David prayed, “Lord, help me to realise how brief my time on earth will be.  Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more.”

Repeatedly, the Bible compares life on earth to temporarily living in a foreign country.  This is not your permanent home or final destination.  You`re just passing through, just visiting earth.  The Bible uses terms like alien, pilgrim, foreigner, stranger, visitor, and traveler to describe our brief stay on earth.  David said, “I am but a foreigner here on earth,” and Peter explained, “If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth.”

In Gaborone, where I live, many people have moved from other parts of the country to work here, but every holiday they go to their villages to show that it is still their homes and when they die most us would like to be laid to rest in our own home villages.

We live in this world but we do not belong to it. Our citizenship is in heaven.  God says his children are to think differently about life from the way unbelievers do.  “All they think about is this life here on earth.  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.”  Real believers understand that there is far more to life than just the few years we live on this planet.

Your identity is in eternity, and your homeland is heaven.  When you grasp this truth, you will stop worrying about “having it all” on earth.  God is very blunt about the danger of living for the here and now and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the world around us.  

When we flirt with the temptations of this world, God calls it spiritual adultery.  The Bible says, “You`re cheating on God.  If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way.” Imagine you were asked by your country to be an ambassador to an enemy nation.  You would probably have to learn a new language and adapt to some customs and cultural practices in order to be polite and to accomplish your mission.  

As ambassador you would not be able to isolate yourself from the enemy.  To fulfill your mission, you would have to have contact and relate to them. But suppose you became so comfortable with this foreign country that you fell in love with it, preferring it over your homeland.  Your loyalty and commitment will change.  Your role as an ambassador will be compromised.  Instead of representing your home country, you will start acting like the enemy.  You`d be a traitor.

The Bible says, “We are Christ`s ambassadors.” Sadly, many Christians have betrayed their King and his kingdom.  They have foolishly concluded that because they live on earth, it`s their home.  It is not.  

The Bible is clear:  “Friends, this world is not your home, so don`t make yourselves cozy in it.  Don`t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.”  
God warns us to not get too attached to what`s around us because it is temporary.  We`re told, “Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.” Let me end here for now but I will conclude this in the next issue. Ends

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