I went to the Tampa convention center and got sworn in today as a United States Citizen. They called out the countries first of all. They went from A-Z for countries with fewer than 10 applicants. Then, they gave the countries with the greater amount of applicants. The United Kingdom, where I'm from, had 14. Number four was Haiti. Number 2 was Columbia. Number 1 was Cuba with 80 applicants. I've been in this country for 17 years. Never liked it and always wanted to leave. But, as a black man, I can now call myself an African-American for the first time. I never wanted to become citizen. In fact, I went to the ceremony alone. Not because I'm ashamed, but that official citizenship for me is just one small step in the call of God on me to getting into medical school. The reason for celebration will be a decision that I've been admitted, which I know can only come from the Lord. Thankful for U.S. citizenship, I will further rejoice when I get a decision. And I'll know Who to praise. My citizenship is in heaven.
God throughout scripture seems to have a special place in His heart for the 'alien,' a person who is not in his native land but lives among foreigners. For 17 years, this has been me. But as of approximately 3 PM today, Citizenship Day, September 17th, 2008, I transition within the grace of God, as a pilgrim and foreigner on the Earth. I physically had to come to know how it felt in a civil or sociological sense for 17 years so that I could further understand how it can be that way spiritually in the heart of Jesus. Brethren, we're truly in the world. But not of it. Time fails to tell of the differences of being an English Commonwealth citizen among Americans for 17 years, retaining the culture, even having been removed from my country since I was 5 years of age! Still having an accent... But I will tell you, our citizenship is that of New Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God, and our Sovereign King and Lord is Christ Jesus, our ruler and authority.