WITH THAT IN MIND . . . HOW ARE YOU DOING ON YOUR PILGRIMAGE? THE IDEA OF PILGRIMAGE HAS BEEN DRIVEN HOME TO ME THESE LAST FEW DAYS. FIRST DAVIS BUNN'S BOOK, THEN THE LATEST NETFLIX MOVIE THAT ARRIVED IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, THE WAY. FINALLY, THE MESSAGE I PREACHED ON SUNDAY MORNING LOOKED AT SEVERAL PILGRIMS. HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 RECORDS THE HEROES OF "THE HALL OF FAITH." HALF OF THEM SEEMED TO "MAKE IT THROUGH" IN WHAT THE WORLD WOULD CALL "SUCCESSFUL FASHION." OTHERS EXPERIENCED PERSECUTION AND PAIN IN VARIOUS DEGREES THAT ARE NOT PLEASANT TO CONTEMPLATE. I'LL LEAVE YOU TO READ THAT CHAPTER FOR THE DETAILS.
BUT HEBREWS 11 CLOSES WITH THIS FINAL THOUGHT: THE "WINNERS," AND THE "LOSERS" ARE STILL WAITING TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE. THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE OTHERS WHO ARE STILL RUNNING THE RACE. IN GOD'S ECONOMY - WE ALL CROSS THE FINISH LINE AT THE SAME TIME. WE ALL WIN!
BETWEEN THE STARTING GUN (BIRTH) TO THE END OF OUR LEG OF THE RACE (DEATH), WE ARE ON A PILGRIMAGE. ALONG THE WAY, WE MAKE ACQUAINTANCES. THOSE ACQUAINTANCES SOMETIMES JOIN US AS COMPANIONS. CIRCUMSTANCES FORCE COMPANIONS TO BECOME COMRADES . . .AND OVERCOMING THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES TOGETHER FORGES FRIENDSHIPS.
UNLIKE THE WORLD'S VIEW OF "FRIENDSHIP," A TRUE PILGRIMAGE PRODUCES FRIENDS OF A DIFFERENT CHARACTER. THOSE FRIENDS MADE ON PILGRIMAGE REMAIN FRIENDS FOR LIFE. ALL IT TAKES IS AN E-MAIL, A NOTE, A POST-CARD, OR A PHONE CALL . . . AND THEY WILL MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO BE AT YOUR SIDE BEFORE YOU CAN TAKE YOUR NEXT BREATH.
Author Davis Bunn
SAMPLE THE PILGRIM: THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS ARE FREE!THE WORLD KNOWS LITTLE OF PILGRIMS. MAYBE, IF THEY GOT TO KNOW THEM BETTER, THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE.
HOW ARE YOU DOING ON YOUR PILGRIMAGE?
Beautifully said. Love this, Steve.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura. It's been an honor and a privilege to be on pilgrimage with you since December 19, 1987. I love you, so much! Thanks for sticking with me through it all!
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