Daily Devotional

“I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight” (Genesis 23:4). 

An immigrant is a person moving into a country in which he is not a native and does not possess citizenship. As soon as a person moves across a national border, he is an immigrant. People move to new countries for many reasons. Some are looking for work or a better standard of living. Others seek to escape prejudice, conflict, or a natural disaster. 

The United Nations reports that each year since 1990, approximately 3 percent of the world’s population are immigrants. Most would-be im- migrants indicate the United States as their desired future residence, followed by the United Kingdom. Other top desired destinations include Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Germany, and Spain. 

Abraham was an immigrant and, when Sarah died, his status as a foreigner is clearly stated when looking to purchase property to bury his beloved wife. When he asked the sons of Heth about the cave of Mach pelah, they offered to give it to him. But he refused and paid them full price for the property. Eventually, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their wives were buried there. Today, Jews consider the Tomb of the Patriarchs as the second most sacred site in the world (after the Temple Mount). 

The New Testament explains Abraham’s status in Canaan. “By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country … for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:9, 10). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all lived as foreigners in Canaan. It was their descendants who received the promise. 

Ultimately, it was the heavenly Canaan Abraham looked to receive, “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (verse 10). It is a move to an eternal land that we are all looking to make someday. 

Dear God, I’m just a pilgrim here. Heaven is my home. Lead me step by step to the Promised Land.