The Pilgrim’s Progress – 1

I'm using John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress during my morning devotional time and thought I'd share some reflections along the way.

The title of the book is, The Pilgrim’s Progress, From This World To That Which Is To Come.

We are on a journey. Even though we usually act like we’re permanent residents we’re not, and so acting like permanent residents doesn’t make a lot of sense. It’s as if we boarded a passenger jet and thought it would never land, or as if we got on a roller coaster and thought it would never stop. For most of us the ride of this life is longer than a roller coaster ride or an airplane flight – but compared to eternity it’s not long at all.

While we use the term “ride” when referring to this life, that’s probably not a wise choice of word because “ride” can portray someone who gets on something and doesn’t do much afterward, he just lets the ride take him for a ride and then he gets off – hopefully in one peace. “Riding” can conjure up a passive image – but this life is anything but passive, even when we think we’re being passive we’re usually not – for every decision not to decide is a decision. Not to decide to come into a relationship with Jesus Christ is a decision; not to decide is the same as deciding not to – we each have a will and no matter how you approach the issue of “will” (and there is a mystery in that for me) at the end of the day, at the end of the ride, at the end of life – what we’ve chosen regarding Jesus Christ will determine the rest of our story – will our story be merged with the story of Christ – or will our story be merged elsewhere?

The story of The Pilgrim’s Progress is a story about, “Here I am today, and that’s where I’m headed, I’ve got a goal, I’ve got a destiny, I’m not hanging around here and I’m not living like I’m a permanent resident here – I’ve got to get moving, I’ve got someone to meet”. This reminds me of the men and women of Hebrews Chapter Eleven who confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims and that they were looking for a City whose Builder and Maker is God. They were on pilgrimage. Are we on pilgrimage? Is our passport issued by the Kingdom of Heaven?