Between Two Worlds

“Whooooooottt”

In a vacuum of context, one word text messages can be meaningless. But I knew exactly what this one meant. Yesterday Stanford released admissions decisions to early applicants at 3pm. Hence, when 3:10pm rolled around and a high school friend who had applied texted me, “Whoooooottt”, the message was clear.

Later I was able to meet up with him (naturally, a campus visit was the first thing on his mind).  It was neat to see him processing, recognizing the reality and significance of the admissions offer. I think a few times I saw it begin to hit him.

But the odd thing is, although he can now claim Stanford as “his school”, it isn’t quite yet. At least, not fully. He’s still a high school student.

Hence a tension. He’s caught between two worlds. Two realities. In the upcoming months he’ll undoubtedly struggle with this “senioritis”.

Incredibly, my high school friend's present experience parallels that of many of history’s greatest patriarchs of faith, such as Abraham. Note how the Bible describes them:

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.  (Hebrews 11:13-16a)

They experience the tension: living in this world while having accepted the promise of the heavenly one. Hence, they live as “strangers and pilgrims to the earth.”

Still today – or rather, especially today –  the Christian looks at the world around him and recognizes that it is not his home. He sees creation groaning in anticipation of the great soon coming graduation. “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:19).

So we wait, between two worlds, as we learn daily how to live as a heavenly citizen while an earthly resident.