Part of the fun of Thanksgiving when I was a child was all of the crafts, songs, and holiday lessons I got to do at school. From tracing my hand into a turkey, to singing songs about grateful hearts, school was always super exciting when Thanksgiving rolled around. One of my favorite activities involved making over sized Quaker hats out of construction paper. I would carefully cut out a long black hat with wide brim, then use my Elmer's glue to paste on the gold buckle smack dab in the middle of the hat. Some cool classrooms even got to make construction paper collars to make their outfit complete. But, whether you were in the super cool class or the semi-cool class (like me), each kid would don their pilgrim apparel, circle up for story time, and eagerly listen to the tales about the wide brimmed hat wearing pilgrims who made their impetuous journey on the Mayflower to America. Then, in reverence and adoration, they celebrated a day of giving thanks to God for their new home and bounty.
Like the buckle on my paper hat, I was glued to the story. Maybe it was the idea of adventure and setting off to a new undiscovered land. Maybe it was the thought of chasing the dream of freedom. Maybe it was simply the cool construction paper crafts. But, whatever the reason, the story of the pilgrims and Thanksgiving captivated my heart as a child. Maybe it's no coincidence, then, that one of my top favorite scriptures is Psalm 84:5. The entire Psalm moves me, but verse 5 stands out in saying, "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage."
Pilgrimage. The dictionary defines it as:
a journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion
Many will simply think of a pilgrimage as a religious trip; a short stint to a sacred location, usually done as a duty they must follow in order to fulfill some religious requirement. However, when the pilgrims boarded the Mayflower so many years ago, it wasn't duty or obligation that tied them to the bow. They weren't rolling their eyes and saying, 'Well, if I must, I must," in some burdensome ritualistic task. No, they were just as this scripture describes: sojourners full of a supernatural strength, with hearts firmly set because of devotion. Only those who are devoted to living for something far greater than themselves will board a vessel bound for the unknown. Only hearts that are rooted and grounded in passion will face hazardous seas and life altering conditions. Only those whose hearts are truly set on a pilgrimage.
As believers, you and I are not called to simply make trips to sacred locations. We are not called to go to Jerusalem once a year. We aren't even fiercely required to enter a church building once a week. You and I are called to spend our entire lifetime on a pilgrimage. The father of our faith, Abraham, knew what it was to live his life as a pilgrim. Hebrews 11:8-10 says of him, "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents…for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God."
Both Abraham and the Mayflowers pilgrims, began their journey having no clue what they would find. They simply went on faith. We, too, live daily by faith, not knowing what adventure awaits us in the day to day journey. However, you and I have been given something that Abraham and our nation's first pilgrims never received: glimpses into what awaits us at our final destination. We've been given the Spirit today as a down payment on what's to come (Ephesians 1:13-14). He teaches us of the things to come (John 16:13). We've been given revelation of streets of gold, no more tears, the Lamb in the midst of a throne. We've been encouraged with a reward that moth and rust can never destroy. Oh, all that awaits us! The list could go on and on. All of this awaits us because we took that first step of faith and refused to never look back.
From the moment we were born again, our hearts received a cry that says, "I am not home yet." Like Abraham, we obeyed the Spirit's urging to follow Christ to an unknown destination, and every step of the way is an adventure into the unknown. Yes, it may be a long journey, one that takes a lifetime, but the sacred destination that awaits us is worth risking our lives. Remember, only those who are devoted to living for something far greater than themselves will board a vessel bound for the unknown, facing hazardous seas, and life altering conditions. Only those who are born of faith will say no to this world's temporary pleasures in order that they may receive a far greater prize.
When you and I set our minds on our heavenly home, when we fix our eyes on Jesus - the greatest prize before us, our hearts overflow with thanksgiving. When we make Home our focus, we are reminded that every dangerous swell on the seas of life will be worth it. We are encouraged that every tear will be seed that sows great rejoicing when the eternal morning finally dawns. When we long for home, thanksgiving naturally follows because we know that nothing on the journey is in vain; it will all be rewarded. If we want to be people who live with thankful hearts, then we must be people whose hearts are set on a pilgrimage...whose hearts are set on home. So this Thanksgiving, as we gather around the table with friends and loved ones, let us set our eyes on the Greater Feast to come. Let us lift our eyes on Jesus. Let us set our hearts on home.
Like the buckle on my paper hat, I was glued to the story. Maybe it was the idea of adventure and setting off to a new undiscovered land. Maybe it was the thought of chasing the dream of freedom. Maybe it was simply the cool construction paper crafts. But, whatever the reason, the story of the pilgrims and Thanksgiving captivated my heart as a child. Maybe it's no coincidence, then, that one of my top favorite scriptures is Psalm 84:5. The entire Psalm moves me, but verse 5 stands out in saying, "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage."
Pilgrimage. The dictionary defines it as:
a journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion
Many will simply think of a pilgrimage as a religious trip; a short stint to a sacred location, usually done as a duty they must follow in order to fulfill some religious requirement. However, when the pilgrims boarded the Mayflower so many years ago, it wasn't duty or obligation that tied them to the bow. They weren't rolling their eyes and saying, 'Well, if I must, I must," in some burdensome ritualistic task. No, they were just as this scripture describes: sojourners full of a supernatural strength, with hearts firmly set because of devotion. Only those who are devoted to living for something far greater than themselves will board a vessel bound for the unknown. Only hearts that are rooted and grounded in passion will face hazardous seas and life altering conditions. Only those whose hearts are truly set on a pilgrimage.
As believers, you and I are not called to simply make trips to sacred locations. We are not called to go to Jerusalem once a year. We aren't even fiercely required to enter a church building once a week. You and I are called to spend our entire lifetime on a pilgrimage. The father of our faith, Abraham, knew what it was to live his life as a pilgrim. Hebrews 11:8-10 says of him, "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents…for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God."
Both Abraham and the Mayflowers pilgrims, began their journey having no clue what they would find. They simply went on faith. We, too, live daily by faith, not knowing what adventure awaits us in the day to day journey. However, you and I have been given something that Abraham and our nation's first pilgrims never received: glimpses into what awaits us at our final destination. We've been given the Spirit today as a down payment on what's to come (Ephesians 1:13-14). He teaches us of the things to come (John 16:13). We've been given revelation of streets of gold, no more tears, the Lamb in the midst of a throne. We've been encouraged with a reward that moth and rust can never destroy. Oh, all that awaits us! The list could go on and on. All of this awaits us because we took that first step of faith and refused to never look back.
From the moment we were born again, our hearts received a cry that says, "I am not home yet." Like Abraham, we obeyed the Spirit's urging to follow Christ to an unknown destination, and every step of the way is an adventure into the unknown. Yes, it may be a long journey, one that takes a lifetime, but the sacred destination that awaits us is worth risking our lives. Remember, only those who are devoted to living for something far greater than themselves will board a vessel bound for the unknown, facing hazardous seas, and life altering conditions. Only those who are born of faith will say no to this world's temporary pleasures in order that they may receive a far greater prize.
When you and I set our minds on our heavenly home, when we fix our eyes on Jesus - the greatest prize before us, our hearts overflow with thanksgiving. When we make Home our focus, we are reminded that every dangerous swell on the seas of life will be worth it. We are encouraged that every tear will be seed that sows great rejoicing when the eternal morning finally dawns. When we long for home, thanksgiving naturally follows because we know that nothing on the journey is in vain; it will all be rewarded. If we want to be people who live with thankful hearts, then we must be people whose hearts are set on a pilgrimage...whose hearts are set on home. So this Thanksgiving, as we gather around the table with friends and loved ones, let us set our eyes on the Greater Feast to come. Let us lift our eyes on Jesus. Let us set our hearts on home.
Comments
Post a Comment