Advent - The Pilgrimage Series

Advent - the Pilgrimage

Advent points us to a renewed hope of the Lord’s Return! The season, which is named ‘the coming’ causes us to celebrate that Jesus came first to be our Redeemer, and He will come again, to be our King!

Today I want to talk about the time between Expectation and Realization... the Pilgrimage of Advent.

Pilgrimage... a funny word, isn’t it?

Not one we use very often, but one that is exactly descriptive of our life with Christ. The dictionary defines ‘pilgrimage’ as

1. A journey to a sacred place or shrine.

2. A long journey or search, especially one of exalted purpose or moral significance.

Many will become pilgrims, sort of, as we travel “over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house.” Bing Crosby released the hit “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in 1943 during WW2 when millions of families were longing for a son, husband, or father to be home. It can still make us cry as it touches the longing that nearly everyone feels for connectedness, for love of family.

The lyrics say ... I'll be home for Christmas

You can plan on me

Please have snow and mistletoe

And presents on the tree.

Christmas Eve will find me

Where the love light gleams

I'll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams.

The song became so popular because it speaks of that nearly universal longing for a home, a place to belong.

And that longing goes deeper than DNA! It is an echo of our desire to know our heavenly Father. That is why Jesus came the first time – to restore the relationship which sin had destroyed.

John, in the first chapter of his gospel explains:

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world. But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. ... But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God. So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.

Do YOU desire to be ‘at home’ in God’s Presence?

Perhaps the question startles you because you leap to the thought of Heaven and home, of leaving this world behind. That is not the intent of my question. Let me ask it again, this way ...

What is the center of your life? Where are you ‘at home’ in spirit and heart?

Do you love God’s Presence, feel most peace when you are aware of Him?

Advent reminds us that we are saved, but life reminds us that our salvation is still in process! We all struggle with sin and temptation! We deal with sorrows that find no explanation in this world. Evil visits its darkness in war, greed, death, and violence and we realize that though He is Savior, we are not completely at home yet.

When we come together in His sanctuary, when we find ourselves in prayer, when we worship with a full heart - we become pilgrims anew, longing for a better place. The better we know Christ, the less we ‘fit in’ where we are.

Peter captures our experience and says- "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God...” And then he reminds us that our destiny is not yet fully realized and goes on to say that we should live as “aliens and strangers in the world!” (1 Peter 2:9-11, NIV)

I love the phrasing of The Message which says,

"Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives." (1 Peter 2:11-12, The Message)

Advent sets a star to follow on the horizon of time - reminding of the Coming of Christ. Some of us may be privileged to Him return as the King of Glory and many others will meet Him when they go to Him when life is over - but we need that star of hope and promise to keep us on course in our pilgrimage.

The Wise Men saw the Star of Bethlehem and were so captivated that they left the familiar and engaged in a long, hard pilgrimage to find the baby boy who was to be the Savior and King of the World! My prayer is that you, too, will be a pilgrim, headed for home in His Kingdom - first living for Him here, then settling forever with Him in eternity!