Migration

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

In an essay published in a 2019 National Geographic “We Are All Migrants”, Mohsin Hamid talks about migration. When you hear this word, a few things probably come to mind. You may be thinking about picking up roots and moving from one location to another. Or you may be thinking about birds and animals that migrate from one area to another according to the seasons and food/water availability.

In Mohid’s essay, he points out that we are continuously migrating. As we move through time, “none of us is a native of the place we call home. And none of us is a native to this moment in time.” Further, he says: “we become refugees from our childhoods, the schools, the friends, the toys, the parents that made up our worlds all gone, replaced by new buildings, by phone calls, photo albums, and reminiscences.” In addition, this essay makes one aware that not much is gained from dividing ourselves into “native” and “migrant”. There is much more to his essay, but for this devotion, I’m focusing on individual growth.

I think of this migration of our lives, and how, for me, it’s been a journey of learning, spiritual growth, and appreciating humility. As we “migrate” from one time to another, we (hopefully) learn along the way a little bit from everyone we meet, everyone God puts in our path. Those lessons may be hard, they may include “what not to do”, and/or they may be hopeful and loving. These lessons, if we are open to them, are part of our spiritual growth. If we're in the Word, we can probably find something scriptural about every single encounter we have with others. Thankfully, if we include God in the journey, we will find blessings in the migration.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to keep you close to me in thought and prayer as I migrate through life. Let me learn, grow, and become closer to you. Amen.

Donna Gustafson