When I hear the word migration, three disparate images come to mind. First, the annual, seasonal sight of geese flying south overhead. Second, an emigrant tearfully leaving his beloved family and homeland for a brand new start in a strange new land. Finally, the least pleasant one for me personally, the periodic upgrade of a new operating system or application on a computer server.
What do these images have in common? They share a basic idea of change, of location or situation in the hope of a better one. Except for maybe animal migrations, there are no guarantees that any migration will work out. The new computer system may contain major, unexpected bugs or carry a learning curve too steep for most users. The new land of opportunities may turn out worse than the place left behind. Even geese face journeys fraught with danger in the form of hunters and severe weather.
Why migrate at all? Maybe it's something intrinsic in the nature of all animals (lit. "things that move" in Chinese) to desire change, to seek more improvement, prominence, security, and acceptance. It may sound cliche, but ultimately, everyone wants to find that elusive place where he/she belongs, a home. This home may cover different places and things at different times. Its definition may change over time. It may never be found in this lifetime. But the pursuit continues, repeated disappointments and hurts notwithstanding.
"All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:8-9
The Bible describes a migration everyone takes part in: between this, temporal life and the next, eternal life. The final destination of heaven or hell is guaranteed, based on whether one has accepted a simple ticket labeled "Christ as personal Lord and Savior." Do you take that ticket and live in preparation for that move, or are you more preoccupied with other migrations? Where is your home?
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