The eviction note

Last year, our lives changed quite alot in just a few weeks, when we found out that my husband could no longer stay in my country. Here is my recollection of that momentous day when we learned that my husband would need to vacate the country within the next three weeks, and some reflections on it in light of our Christian faith.

"...It was a cold and quiet summer day. My husband and I had spent the day cleaning out the piles of rubbish from my parents’ garage – taking it to the local recycling station. We slid past the post man’s delivery car, and parked in the driveway. My husband went straight to the mailbox. Not thinking much special of it, I had already gone inside. Then, thinking that my husband took a bit longer than usual, I went back out to meet him. “A letter”, he said. “From the department of foreign affairs”, he added. I believed him, yet I didn’t. After all, he had managed to pull some jokes on me in the past. After little convincing though, I believed him.

The letter that we had been waiting for in the last 5 months had arrived! And there was much excitement. Though, the excitement seemed more like the kind of anticipation that you have when you await the announcement of an exam which you know you performed badly in. Here it was. The verdict! After looking at my character, my history, my work abilities my pay slips and expected income, my photographs, wedding photos; my personal mail, my graduation certificate, my family heritage, my recent activity – it seemed, my everything. I failed. After having been examined in almost every way, the verdict was: failure. There was a certain requirement to get in, and on the basis of who I am and what I had accomplished in my life, I didn’t make it. I simply wasn’t good enough. Ouch!

Then the eviction notice came. “The person does not fulfill the demands required of the provider”. After many tears, and much comfort, the thought came… What if our hope depended on someone’s performance? What if our “fate” was decided on the basis solely on the character and life of another person? One outside yourself – another person! This then became the very best comfort I could think of, because in this instance, that person was thankfully – not me! I came to remember that there was indeed one such person. The very Son of God, tried in every way as we have been, yet without sin. The perfect Savior did what I could not do, and on the basis of him, and purely on him, was my place in heaven secured forever. From what I have learned so far about visas and permits, this citizenship is by far the best one I ever could have gotten. Though it wasn’t easy to obtain, I know that it was never I whom had to fulfill all the requirements of the law to obtain it. It was my Lord and my God, Christ Jesus. He is my righteousness.

It had indeed been a strange concept from the start. The permit for my husband had never at any point depended on him. It was solely my record that would ensure his entry and permit into my land. My performance and my record bought my husband his eviction note, his deportation. Our Lord’s performance, thankfully bought us, his bride, something much better, and something much more glorious when he rose from the dead. A citizenship in heaven!"