In the US Military, soldiers are deployed, sent away to different places, for various lengths of time. The military makes a distinction between the types of deployments and moves. In stereotypical military fashion, there are acronyms for each type. TDY means Temporary Duty; the soldier is deployed for a few days to a few months, but a PCS means Permanent Change of Station. On a TDY, the soldier maintains his or her affiliation to the home unit, wearing the insignia on his or her uniform of the home unit. In contrast, a PCS means the soldier has a new “home unit” and becomes part of the new organization.

I use this illustration, because as Christians, we are TDY here on earth, on a “temporary assignment.” Our home unit is with God. In John 15:19 Jesus tells his disciples, “As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world;” and in John 17:14 Jesus is praying for his disciples, he asks God to protect them and says, “for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” Just like soldiers on TDY, we are away from home, but we represent our home unit; our behavior and performance reflect either positively or negatively on our home unit, Christ and other Christians. As the song goes, “I am but a stranger here, heaven is my home.”

Dear Lord, be with us while we are on this temporary assignment. Help us bring glory to you while we are here. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen