23 June 2020

ARE YOU A PILGRIM?

By John Ollis

I am sure many of my readers have heard of “The Camino de Santiago” known in English as “The Way of St. James”. It is a network of pilgrims ways leading to the shrine of St. James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried.

Going on pilgrimages to “holy sites” was a very big thing and was very popular for hundreds of years. I have a Pastor friend (a spiritual son) who went on the pilgrimage and know of others who have done it as well, I think as much for fitness reasons as anything else, it really isn’t part of our “religious culture” these days.

I have said all of the above, as there is a scripture that has blessed me much over the years, and I read and meditated upon it again recently, it is Psalm 84:5 I will list a few translations.

NKJV Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

PASSION How enriched are they who find their strength in the Lord;
within their hearts are the highways of holiness!

N.A.S.B. How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising you.

The Psalmist declares that a man is blessed and to be envied who have learnt to seek to live and walk in the Spirit and this causes God’s strength to be built into him, and give him the desire and discipline to GO ON A PERMANENT PILGRIMAGE.

The Jews were encouraged to go up to Jerusalem as often as possible every year to celebrate the Great Feasts there, so pilgrimage was sure part of their mindset and practice. Now let us pass this verse through the Cross and apply New Covenant truth to it.

The N.A.S.B highlights the thought of dwelling in God’s House (his presence), this speaks of consistentcy, not being an occasional visitor, As the Psalmist expresses in Psalm 91:1 NKJV He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. There is better place to be.

Other translations emphasize movement as in a physical pilgrimage, as the PASSION translation suggests echoing the words of Isaiah 35:8 NKJV A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the highway of holiness.

I think a Pilgrimage for a New Covenant Believer is both learning to LIVE IN GOD’S PRESENCE, and continually making the decision I WILL EVER MOVE UPWARD AND FORWARD, God helping me, and I will:

GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST 2 Peter 3:18

So, are you on a pilgrimage? Or is it a new thought to you? If it is I want to suggest you make the decision TODAY, to see your walk with God as a pilgrimage, and you make a commitment before the Lord TODAY that by His grace EVERY DAY you will see it as A PILGRIM DAY, meaning you will spend quality time EVERY DAY in His presence, and making a fresh commitment and determination EVERY DAY to WALK on the Highway of Holiness, and on the authority of God’s Word I can guarantee you will reach your destination.

Why not share from time to time your PILGRIM EXPERIENCES, I would love to hear rgwm.




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