Of Pilgrims and Progress

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:9-15

Last week we talked about John Bunyan's allegory, Pilgrim's Progress. This title is one that well defines its story content. There is a new movie about the book which is recommended you see. However, in a more general sense let's talk about what it means to be a Pilgrim and what progress are we making.

In Bunyan's story, the Pilgrim was a traveler in search of Heaven. An image of a Pilgrim in our society is one that we see in paintings like the one above by George Boughton depicting Elizabethan clothed travelers in search of religious freedom. Some cultures also use the idea of pilgrims. Islam has its traveler's on a pilgrimage to their sacred places and shrines, as do the Hindu's their places, and even the Jews have pilgrimFWAs to Jerusalem, and even in "Christendom" the Roman Catholics have pilgrimages to Grottoes and the Holy Land. So with all these images, what really is a Pilgrim? Is it someone who we think of at Thanksgiving who wears buckles on his shoes and drags a dead turkey home to dinner? Or could it be someone who is devoted to someone or something in search of inward spiritual desire?

In the most real sense, the latter is true. A Pilgrim is one who follows to find. Following what or whom is the big question. A true Pilgrim, or better said, a correct Pilgrim is one who follows and searches Jesus Christ. A person who is saved by Christ no longer needs to look for Christ as if they cannot find Him, rather now a Pilgrim is on the trail of knowing and becoming more like Christ. We have the seal of Christ upon us and everyday we are heading towards an eternity with Him, so while in the way we are to desire to take on His heart and character.

The Pilgrims of the Mayflower are prime examples of their own name. The whole reason for their coming to America was not primarily for new lands or new adventures. In fact if the truth were told of most of them wished not to leave their homes and families. They had already fled to Holland and now on the trail to the New World for one purpose, to seek a place where God and God alone can be pursued and worshipped freely. Thus by doing, they laid the foundation of immense blessing that germinated into the freedom Americans have yet today of the same ideal. Pursuing the knowledge and worship of God was their key focus.

Another key point to being a Pilgrim is again found in our Mayflower ancestors. This point is that to truly follow Christ then we must be willing to weather the elements of life and not be discouraged to the point of turning back. It is said that the majority of the time spent on the crowded wooden vessel was vexed with disease and harsh conditions. In fact, once the Pilgrims made it to the shores of Massachusetts, they nearly all died in the fierce northern winter that soon fell on them. Yet in all of this they pursued on. Jesus said that good seed sown in the ground will take root and grow despite the difficulties. Jesus likens poor seed as that which springs up and appears to grow a little while but burns up when difficulty comes (Matt. 13:3-8}. Nobody likes to suffer. Sometimes, not always, growth cannot be achieved without suffering to some extent. Suffering doesn't always con notate persecution, but it will include being made uncomfortable. Notice that these harsh elements are not to thrash us into total hopeless despair, but rather so that we will draw closer to God. The Pilgrims certainly drew closer to God as they realized they just landed into a place where there wasn't all the help of their countrymen (in their former country) they were used to leaning on. Such is the case with us. We need to see God as our Supreme Benefactor of all we have or all we hope to have.

Now moving on from what a Pilgrim is, what about his or her progress through life? By this I mean their growth chart for Christ. A Pilgrim ought to be showing signs of growth and should keep track of it. Not to have bragging rights to our fellow man or to God, but as a foundation. No doubt you have seen or remember the markings on the wall of the kitchen where the parent would measure the growth of a child. The same scale of markings are what we should define as the Progress of the saints, or, the Pilgrim. The progress is evidenced in our daily walk with Christ. Are we devoted to reading and studying His Word? Do we spend quality time in prayer? Do we show others the change Christ makes?

Part of this measuring of progress is found in our desire to know more about Christ. Like a muscle that gets more strong and more strong with repeated exercise, so should our desire to know Christ needs to be. We cannot make progress if we are stuck in neutral and complacency. Just as refusing to row a boat gets the occupant nowhere, so complacency stunts or completely hinders growth.

Another area of measurable Progress is our physical service to Christ. It is most important to pray, and absolutely essential to read the Word of God, but we must begin to serve Him in ways beyond our inner man. We have to engage the outer man to service. This is hard. The outer man can get tired and wearied. But beginning to exercise the outer man by joining an outreach group, or helping prepare meals for shut ins, or driving someone to the doctor, or providing financial help for brethren in need are just some of the way we measure our Progress in the Lord. When we look back on say the last year of our life for whatever point today, we should hopefully be amazed at what God has done. What once spiritually was not true in your life last year, is now abundant this year. Being careful though not to forget to Whom the service is to glorify.

There is an old hymn called "Higher Ground." Some of the lyrics explain this progress of growth best. One verse says, "I'm pressing on the Upward Way, new heights I am gaining everyday, still praying as I'm onward bound, Lord plant my feet on Higher Ground." Make it a daily prayer request for you to grow in the Lord. When we plant corn we expect to see a crop, God desires no less from His investment in us.

How are we doing as Pilgrims? Are you a Pilgrim on the trail of knowing Christ better each day? If you have got off the path, ask Christ for a fresh glimpse of Him in your life. If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, then I urge you not to be deceived to think you have plenty of time to do that. You need to trust Him now, while the Spirit is sill tugging. For the Christian, we are to keep focusing our desires and attention on Christ. Let's do that with a joyous new spirit!

One final note. Sometimes being a Pilgrim con notates being a weary traveler with no home or future. Some think of pilgrims in the sense of vagrancy. But friends and brethren, the Bible says we have a Home most assuredly, and we as followers of Christ are on the right road that ends in Glory! (John 14)

Kind Father, help us to be on the trail in search of Your will in us. Help us to appreciate and emulate the spirit of our forefathers who left all to freely worship You. Help us to not only look towards You and for Your return, but tell others how they may be on the same pilgrimage for Heaven as we. Help our progress to be pleasing to You. May it be that we shall we grow taller and stronger for you each day. Guide us with Your Hand, and let us never cease to praise You for the bounty of provision we have as we enter this season of Thanksgiving. In Your Name. Amen.

The Slough Of Despond

Scripture Reading: Luke 15:11-24

It has been said that John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress was second in popular book sales only to the Bible. I am not sure of that contest now. However, if you have never read the allegory I would challenge you to do so. It is the tale of a Christian's plight through this world. People and places he encounters all have allegorical names. Such as Mr. Pliable who represents a fair weather friend, or, Evangelist who represents the persons telling of the Good News of the Gospel. The City of Destruction denotes the places of this world slated for judgement. So on we could go. The book starts with Christian, the main character, having a burden on his back (sin) and desiring salvation sets out to find the Wicket Gate and the path to Eternal Life ending in the Celestial City (Heaven). Now if you're not familiar with the story I can assure you it is most Biblically sound. The writer Bunyan wrote it while in an English dungeon of which he was put there for preaching the Gospel.

The first hardship Christian encounters is the Slough of Despond. This is a term so described by Bunyan as:

"It is the low ground where the scum and filth of a guilty conscience, caused by conviction of sin, continually gather, and for this reason it is called the Slough of Despond."

Christian falls into this Slough and sinks under the weight of his burden of sin on his back. He does this by not heeding the stepping stones the King (Jesus) put in the slough as a way of escape. Near to drowning, and left by his temporary companion "Pliable" Christian is rescued by a goodly man named "Help."

The Slough of Despond is interesting in two ways to me.

The first, we find that the Slough of Despond is a place of discouragement but can also be a place of remembrance pointing to thankfulness. Though the Lord does not at all wish us to dwell in sin and be languished with its guilt and shame, we ought to remember our guilt only long enough to give us a fresh renewal of Christ's salvation. He paid All He had so you and I would not be forever drowning in our own muck of sin. Drowning is a horrible thing, but more so when its in mire. I have fallen in quicksand once. Fortunately there was a strong branch I grasped held of to pull me out of the mire. Such a Branch is the Righteous Branch, of whom the Strong arm of the Lord extends to everyone in trouble. It reminds us of just how gracious our Lord is by making an escape of a humanly inescapable horror.

This next short paragraph is speculative. This is just me talking. Opinion. Nothing more. But I have for some time wondered at the thought if when we reach the portal's of Heaven, when we receive our glorified un-cursed bodies, once we have encountered every wonder there is, even to the point of seeing the Savior's wonderful loving face, will we completely and fully, 100 percent appreciate and fully recognize all that was paid on our behalf for such a salvation as we have? I wonder if at sometime, NOT that we are in any means unappreciative or apathetic of our Supreme Benefactor, but will it be when we shall see the hordes of the Lost (those who refuse to accept Christ as Savior, not a Christian who has committed a sin) have their final judgement pronounced on them, cast into the Lake of Fire, hearing the agony of our lost friends and even family as they disappear forever into that great cauldron of suffering simply because they refused the Strong Branch that wanted so desperately to save them. Will it be then, LITERALLY seeing what could have and should have been our fate too, then appreciate so great a salvation to its fullest? Will we then run to bosom of our dear Savior and thank Him in joyous weeping? Reminding us of His price for our salvation by the gentle touch of His Hand on our shoulder, we feel the scab of the nail prints that He bore for us.

The second point is that this Slough of Despond can be instrumental in working out our own need for restored fellowship. When we sin, it cost us inwardly and outwardly. Sometimes Christians refuse out of pride to admit to our sinfulness. The mire has to sometimes rise to uncomfortable levels around us before even we cannot go any longer in denial of sin. Is there some burden of sin you have, perhaps something you have been dealing with for a long time? Perhaps its something that no one but you and God knows about. The prophet Jonah tried such a ruse to run away from God in refusing to own up to his prejudice about going to preach revival to Ninevah. Jonah's Slough of Despond was worse than a mud bog, but in the literal digestive tract of a large fish (let your imagination take over). But it was good for Jonah because it made him come to realize that his sin and the all seeing eye of God cannot be dismissed in secrecy. I urge you if your in a situation that keeps making your life miserable, to let it go, repent and turn away and out of Slough.

The Slough of Despond was aptly named. Despond is that emotion or state in which deep depression and lack of joy flows freely. There are other causes for this same emotion, but when it is Sin, its clear to the Christian. Despond will crowd you, choke you, stifle your life until we are brought to the place of confession and repentance. We can be so glad that "Help" (Christ) stands ready to forgive and pull us out of the mire we have made for ourselves. Not only did Help pull Christian out of the mire, but He put Christian back on the right road that leads towards Heaven. We can be assured that Christ will do no less for us too.

Watch for the Slough of Despond, avoid its clutches, but gaze for a slight moment and remember that those who are by choice languishing in Despond can be freed as you have been. To go a step deeper, perhaps the Lord would use you to rescue someone from that state today. I do not mean that we can offer salvation to the Lost in the sense we do the saving, but we can encourage and lovingly confront a failing brother and by the Lord's permission help to lift them out of the mire, pointing them to Christ who is their Benefactor.

Father, thank you for rescuing our poor helpless souls from the Slough of Despond. We do not deserve such kindness. We ask You to help us to avoid the pitfalls of life that lead to miry bogs. If we find ourselves trapped inside one such bog, may it not take long to call to You for help and forgiving lift us out. We pray for a brother or sister living in some form of sin. Help them not to desire the filth any longer. May today be the day, like the prodigal, they will arise and head towards the Father. Thank you for Grace, greater than our sin. We love you Lord. In Your Name, Amen.