My sister Tammy just moved here permanently from New York. She has had a dream to move to Florida for many years and now God had opened up the doors for her and her wonderful husband Karl to be full time Floridians.
When you have lived in a state your entire life, then find yourself relocated somewhere else, it takes time to become accustomed to living in a new culture and community. Even small things like different grocery stores, roads, and weather conditions can take a long time to acclimate to. I think Tam and Karl are doing a great job rolling with the punches. I think they even have Florida plates on their cars now. :)
I can only imagine how hard it must have been for the Jewish believers in Jesus to learn to acclimate to the new covenant. They had so many cultural and religious rules and regulations that meant everything to them at one point, only to be told, there is a "new and better way." That way, meaning, grace.
These Jewish believers also had to come to recognize that God saw them as no different than Gentile believers anymore. They were no longer the only ones God sent Jesus to die for. He came first for the Jew, and then for the Gentile. Circumcised or not, God sent Jesus to draw all men unto Him. I'm sure it took the disciples who were mainly Jews in the beginning to realize, God was creating one new man. These gentile believers also had to come to recognize themselves as worthy of the same love from God as their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ.
Ephesians 2:17-20reads: 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the Chief Cornerstone.
Just like Tammy and Karl must learn to see themselves as Florida residents now and not just as tourists visiting Florida from New York, we all must begin to see ourselves as fellow citizens of Heaven, co-heirs with Christ, and worthy of all of the heavenly blessings and birthrights as any other child of God.
We must begin to see ourselves as tourists here in a foreign land called Earth, on temporary business. We are actually citizens of Heaven. Our job while we are here, is to share Jesus with as many people as possible so that they become citizens of Heaven as well. We are ambassadors for Christ, seeking to find those needing finding so Christ can save those needing saving.