The Pilgrim Church

Deacon Ramsay (St. Andrew Parish, Holts Summit) in his homily last night used this wonderful image (that he credited to his wife) of the Church as a caravan. There are those billions who have gone before us, untold numbers who will come after us, and here we are at our time and place in this great parade, or caravan. We rely on each other in fellowship, and follow the path that has been tread by so many before us, following Jesus Christ. With this image, one cannot help but think of the ancient Israelites in the wilderness.

They were brought from the land of Egypt through the waters of the Red Sea into their own pilgrimage, and moved as a great caravan across the wilderness. We were brought from our slavery to sin and anguish through the waters of Baptism into this caravan of the Church, and we move toward the Promised Land, which is far better than the land promised to the Israelites. When we reach our Promised Land, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4. Truly, "if for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied." 1 Corinthians 15:19. That would be like the Israelites hoping that the wilderness would provide all that they needed to be happy.

There's the key!

That would be like the Israelites hoping that THE WILDERNESS would provide all that they needed to be happy...

...Rather than relying on God to provide what they needed.

How often are we hurt because we want THIS LIFE, which is our wilderness, to provide our happiness, rather than relying on God? So many things have converged on me. At our meeting for Road Riders for Jesus, and in several other areas, Pastor Gary Berhns, the pastor of Christian Fellowship here in Jefferson City, MO, has challenged me to think about why it is so difficult to trust in God. This is my response...because too often I simply forget, and put my trust in the wilderness.

But what a lesson in the pilgrim caravan of the ancient Israelites. "There is no food." "There is no water." "We don't have meat." God provided it all, not the wilderness. They wanted their needs met, and looked in all the wrong places, rather than trusting that God would provide. How often have I wanted my needs met, and looked to people, places and things of this earth to meet my needs! And how often have I been disappointed in this?

Every time I turn my gaze from my God and expect a person, place, or thing here on this earth to meet my needs, I am disappointed. "If for this life only we have hoped in Christ..."

But, really, honestly, in this great caravan of the Church, we stand on the mountain overlooking the Jordan to the promised land (Deuteronomy 34:1-3). We are at the cusp. Our lives, really, are so very short compared to the span of time of the world, and even less compared to God's eternity. We are so close to the end of our pilgrimage. And on this mountain top, I have seen glimpses of the promised land. And I look through the prisms of the signs of the sacraments of my Church, and I receive food for the journey in the fellowship of the caravan, every time we gather to receive the food that Christ himself provided in the wilderness (John 6).

And I am grateful, Lord, at how wonderfully you have provided for me. You have already given all that I need before I even ask (Matthew 6:8). All the people, places and things in my life are gifts from you to nourish me in this pilgrimage. Help me, Lord, to be for others, what you have allowed them to be for me. And thank you, Lord. Thank you for allowing me to walk this pilgrim journey with you. Thank you.