Pilgrim people

DAILY BYTE

[This week’s devotions have been written by Delme Linscott, a minister and author who lives in Pietermaritzburg].

A few years ago, my wife and I did the whole overseas travel thing. The excitement of travelling was awesome and we have many memories and photo’s to remind us of those days. Since then many close friends and family members have either emigrated or travelled overseas themselves. However, on these occasions we have been the one’s left behind, waving goodbye at the airport. I don’t know how you handle goodbyes, but they are not my favourite pastime. I try to be all macho about them, but in truth, I really struggle.

Before we get into the devotion stop and think of how many of your family and friends are now living away from you. How does this make you feel? Allow these emotions to stir within you as read on.

In doing research for my book Living Oceans Apart it struck me how this ‘modern phenomenon’ of travelling is not so modern at all. In fact, since Biblical times people have been leaving their homes for foreign lands. Many times people moved from place to place as a direct call from God, but other times people uprooted because of adventure, war, famine, the threat of enemies and even to get away from their family.

Take Cain for example. His story is recorded in Genesis 4. After God confronts him about Abel’s death, Cain is banished from his homeland and he cries out “Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth…” So, perhaps we have Cain to thank for our inherent restlessness!

In Genesis 12:1, we read of how God calls Abram to relocate to another land – “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” So in the space of a few chapters we see how the foundation is laid for humanity to become a ‘pilgrim people.’ From that time on we have had the restless desire to move onto new things. This may not imply actually going to other countries or even provinces, but our nomadic tendencies have led us in pursuit of Life. We hunger for more, we long for the ‘next best thing’ and we are not easily satisfied.

As Christians we know that the only person who can sustain us along this journey is Jesus. He is the only one who can truly satisfy our hunger and thirst. Our spiritual wandering can come to an end only when our hearts find their rest in the grace and forgiveness of Jesus. As Augustine once said – “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless, until they find their rest in thee.”

As you go about your activities today reflect on whether you are feeling restless. What is at the root of this? Is it perhaps a call from God to move onto something that he has in store for you (like Abram) or is it perhaps as a result of your decisions that have caught up with you (Cain)?

PRAY AS YOU GO

God I want to find my spiritual rest in the power of your love. I know that I can’t hide from you, so teach me to draw near to you instead of pulling away. Help me to trust in your guidance as I journey through life. Amen.

FOCUS READING

Read through Genesis 4 and 12 to get a better idea of how Cain and Abram’s journey’s started.