July 13th, 2021
By Jack Broomell
A book we started reading with the Young Men’s group is A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson and the first chapter we read focused on Discipleship. It gives a large overview of the whole book and where he intends to go and starts with a declaration of “The world is no friend to grace.” Then dives into the idea that this world is not welcoming to commitments to Jesus Christ as Lord. The world is not throwing us a party to congratulate us on that. He then goes on to call the world “protean” or changing frequently or easily. Each generation has dealt with the world in a form, what we deal with today in 2021 is not the same as 1921’s issues. While the issues are always different, or whether we are aware of them now, we can simply know that the spiritual atmosphere of this world is trying to erode our faith, lower our hope and corrupt our love.
He then goes into this idea of Pilgrims vs Tourists. He gives the sense that religion has been given a tourist mindset. It is an attractive site to see when we have extra time or leisure to give it, for some it's weekly church, others it is occasionally volunteering. What the author was trying to do is break down the idea of whether we are tourists or pilgrims in our journey of faith. A disciple spends their lives apprenticed to their master, we are in a growing-learning relationship. A disciple is a learner of someone who is a craftsman, we are not in an academic setting. We are looking to mirror the skills of faith, not get information. Then the idea of a pilgrim in a spiritual sense is introduced as pilgrims spend their lives going someplace, going to God. They realize this world is not our home. Both of these require time and commitment but that is often not how our faith plays out.
Many of us get trapped in being a tourist, we enjoy our faith when we have time, the retreats, the speakers, the events but our whole life is not on a journey towards a life with Christ. Hence the name of the book, we are called for a long obedience in the same direction, it is not something that we can come in and out of as we please.
So as we try to become less like tourists of faith and more like pilgrims, what are some things we need to cut from our lives, to let our faith be the front and center. It is a journey and something that can help us get there are Psalms 120 through 134. These are called the Song of Ascents, these were sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem. They are cheerful, and hopeful and understand the struggles we go through but to put our hope in God.
As we come out of a time where we had limited options of going out into the world, we now have many choices. We can go where we want, spend time with who we want, and live our life as we please. So the question we should ask ourselves this week is will we be tourists or pilgrims of faith? As we struggle along that path I encourage you to read those 15 Psalms this week, and recite them when you struggle to follow Christ. Look to them for encouragement because being a pilgrim of Christ is better than anything else this world can offer.
A book we started reading with the Young Men’s group is A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson and the first chapter we read focused on Discipleship. It gives a large overview of the whole book and where he intends to go and starts with a declaration of “The world is no friend to grace.” Then dives into the idea that this world is not welcoming to commitments to Jesus Christ as Lord. The world is not throwing us a party to congratulate us on that. He then goes on to call the world “protean” or changing frequently or easily. Each generation has dealt with the world in a form, what we deal with today in 2021 is not the same as 1921’s issues. While the issues are always different, or whether we are aware of them now, we can simply know that the spiritual atmosphere of this world is trying to erode our faith, lower our hope and corrupt our love.
He then goes into this idea of Pilgrims vs Tourists. He gives the sense that religion has been given a tourist mindset. It is an attractive site to see when we have extra time or leisure to give it, for some it's weekly church, others it is occasionally volunteering. What the author was trying to do is break down the idea of whether we are tourists or pilgrims in our journey of faith. A disciple spends their lives apprenticed to their master, we are in a growing-learning relationship. A disciple is a learner of someone who is a craftsman, we are not in an academic setting. We are looking to mirror the skills of faith, not get information. Then the idea of a pilgrim in a spiritual sense is introduced as pilgrims spend their lives going someplace, going to God. They realize this world is not our home. Both of these require time and commitment but that is often not how our faith plays out.
Many of us get trapped in being a tourist, we enjoy our faith when we have time, the retreats, the speakers, the events but our whole life is not on a journey towards a life with Christ. Hence the name of the book, we are called for a long obedience in the same direction, it is not something that we can come in and out of as we please.
So as we try to become less like tourists of faith and more like pilgrims, what are some things we need to cut from our lives, to let our faith be the front and center. It is a journey and something that can help us get there are Psalms 120 through 134. These are called the Song of Ascents, these were sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem. They are cheerful, and hopeful and understand the struggles we go through but to put our hope in God.
As we come out of a time where we had limited options of going out into the world, we now have many choices. We can go where we want, spend time with who we want, and live our life as we please. So the question we should ask ourselves this week is will we be tourists or pilgrims of faith? As we struggle along that path I encourage you to read those 15 Psalms this week, and recite them when you struggle to follow Christ. Look to them for encouragement because being a pilgrim of Christ is better than anything else this world can offer.
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