On Being Pilgrims
October 30, 2022
“Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” (Mt. 13.52)
“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mk. 8.34)
The early church was known as the Way, harkening back to images in the Old Testament of God making a way, road, or path for his people. It’s an Exodus image—the presence of God in a pillar of cloud during the day or fire by night, leading the people through the unfamiliar wilderness to the promised land. It is picked up in the prophets (Isa. 2.2-5; 40.3; Jer. 6.16; Mal. 3.1), often to invite the people to return to the way of the Lord, the path God sets out by his commandments.
God’s invitation to us is to walk through life in a particular way, upon a particular path. Two implications stand out to me here—movement and orientation.
Walking is not a static image. You cannot stand still and walk at the same time. The invitation to follow the Way is an invitation to movement. Movement is about action—doing the deeds required by being on the path. As you do these deeds more and more, however, you also grow. You grow in ability to do them, and you grow in your understanding of why you do them in the first place. Children learn the character of their parents by watching them live and walking through life with them. As children of God, we learn about God’s character by walking through life, doing the very things God does. Along this journey, we find new and exciting treasures, even as we cherish old treasures. Movement is about action and growth in ability and knowledge.
The path implies orientation. It’s a long path. Where you are on the path doesn’t matter, just so long as you are on the path and walking in the right direction. Maturity and immaturity are largely irrelevant, until you start standing still. It’s great to get to the waters of Meribah, but to stop there is to miss the greater things God has in store!
We are naught but pilgrims. Our father was a wandering Aramean, and so, too, are we. Let us not grow weary on this path! And may we never mistake where we are now for where we are walking towards. We are invited to take up our cross and follow Jesus. There are still greater sacrifices ahead of us, but still greater treasures as well! The storehouse of God has many treasures, and as we grow we find more and more. This time of manna from heaven and water from the rock will soon pass, and we will be greeted on Mount Zion with a splendid feast, hosted by the One we hope in, Jesus, our king (Isa. 25.6-10).
—John Coffey
