Today’s devotion comes from Acts 22:22-29.
“22 They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their
voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should
not be allowed to live!”
23 And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing
dust into the air,
24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating
that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason
why they were shouting against him that way.
25 But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the
centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a
Roman and uncondemned?”
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him,
saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”
27 The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And
he said, “Yes.”
28 The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum
of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.”
29 Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of
him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a
Roman, and because he had put him in chains.” Acts 22:22-29.
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Citizenship has its privileges. Paul understood, and he raised his Roman citizenship as a defense against scourging. The commander understood, and he paid a large sum of money to acquire a Roman citizenship. If Roman citizenship was so valuable, how highly should we value our heavenly citizenship in comparison?
Psalm 87 speaks about the joy and privileges of citizenship in Zion, the city of God.
“1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God. Selah.
4 “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me;
Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia:
‘This one was born there.’”
5 But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”;
And the Most High Himself will establish her.
6 The LORD will count when He registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah.
7 Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say,
“All my springs of joy are in you.” Psalm 87:1-7.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21.
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22.
