The most holistic word to describe the Christian life is “exilic”. The word ex-il-ic [eg-zil-ik] means the condition or period of living away from one’s home. Ever since Adam and Eve were exiled east of Eden, humanity has been on a quest to find meaning and a true home.

We see this theme of exile from Genesis to Revelation. Abraham was a wanderer. Moses and the Israelites were exiles in Egypt. The major and minor prophets - Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Esther - were exiled to Egypt or Babylon. Jesus himself was an exile in Egypt and on Earth itself. And the New Testament authors refer to Christians as aliens, strangers, sojourners, and exiles. Additionally, Puritans such as John Bunyan have described the Christian life as a “Pilgrim’s Progress.” From Christ's first coming to his second coming, the Christian life is one of exile.

Of course, this does not mean that we are so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good. Neither does it mean that we are so earthly minded that we forget about our heavenly home. What it means is that we are dual citizens of both heaven and earth. Therefore, we do everything that we can to seek the peace and prosperity of New York City, while at the same time remembering that our true home is in the city yet to come.