The Pilgrim's Journey

In light of the coming holiday season, here is some food for thought. Am I getting excited about the holidays? Absolutely. LOL.

This last month in my 8th grade U.S. History class that I teach, we've been exploring the colonization of the Americas in its early beginnings. Colonists had many reasons for relocating to the Americas.  Many people left Europe hoping to free themselves from debt, start new businesses and make profits, and some just wanted a fresh start.  Later, a group of people came from England and settled in the New England area in what is now Massachusetts. These people left England because they desired to have freedom of religion, the right to worship God as they saw fit. They became known as the pilgrims and separatists. The pilgrims desired a better place than where they came from. They sought a destination where they could explore the realms of Spirit without fear of persecution. They were blessed in that they found a destination, and through them as well as other colonists, the United States of America was birthed. Today in our country, we still enjoy the privilege of being able to worship God freely and serve Him as He has been revealed to us.

     As I reflect on the pilgrims' journey, my spirit nudges me to another group of pilgrims listed in the book of Hebrews 11. Abraham, Sara, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Moses's parents, Joseph, Joshua, Rahab, Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jepthae, David, and Samuel as well as so many others were pilgrims in the truest sense. Hebrews says this about our heroes and pilgrims of the faith:

"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect" (v. 32-40).

These pilgrims as you will note, were wanderers, meaning they settled in no particular area. The reason being that they desired a better country, a heavenly one (v.16).  They did not involve themselves with the cares of this world for they knew that this world was not their home, they were just passing through. Hebrews 11, referring to two of the greatest pilgrims, Abraham and Sara, says that by faith, they journeyed to the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with their families. They looked for a city that had foundations whose builder and maker was God (v. 9-10).  Why did they dwell in tents when God had already given them the land? They could have made a permanent dwelling, yet they understood that God had prepared for them a heavenly dwelling better than this world could offer. Now that's faith! Referring to the pilgrims of faith, Hebrews also says,
 
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (v. 13-16).

 

These pilgrims understood they were on a journey whose destination was heaven. They had eternity in their hearts.  They could have returned to their old way of life, but they knew that it meant nothing in the greater picture. They desired something better. They desired Jesus Christ. In the light of Jesus Christ, the cares of the world were foolish and unimportant. It was this attitude that caused God to open his arms to them and made Him not ashamed to be called their God.  He was preparing a special city for them.  These pilgrims would not be let down. Later in Hebrews 11:38, its says that this world was not worthy of these people. This world will never be worthy of the kind of people who give it all, even their very lives, to serve Jesus Christ

      My question to you today is simple. Are you a pilgrim or a settler? If you are a settler, you have become comfortable and content with your place and success in this world. You see the world as being able to offer you riches, houses, money, fame, love, success etc.  The end of this life will soon come, but you cannot take those things with you to eternity. Have you become too comfortable in this life? Does heaven even excite you anymore? If not, then it is possible that you have become a settler. 

     If you are a pilgrim, you see your life as a vapor, short-lived. You understand that only what you do for Christ on this earth will last  into eternity. You have chosen to set your affections on heavenly things (Colossians 3:2) and you're storing your treasures in heaven because that's where you want your heart to be (Matthew 6:20). Your heart is set on Jesus Christ. When we see our lives in the light of eternity, we realize that all hurts and pain we have experienced in this life do not even compare to what will later be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). Just like the pilgrims, our temporal pain is just the entrance way to eternity. The pilgrim's life is the most rewarding.  If you are a settler, there is still time to change your mindset. It simply takes you picking up your tent, just like Abraham and walking on with eternity ahead of you, never looking back. Won't you do so today and make heaven your home?  I leave you with the words to one of my favorite songs:
 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace