From the Pastor’s Desk: Our Pilgrim Hope

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

May our Lord’s grace and peace be upon you this week.  As you go about your daily business, remember the promise of our Savior, “And Lo I am with you always.”  May that be your comfort and joy this week!

A few things to note:

1.  the COPC men’s breakfast is this Saturday morning at Denny’s at 8:30 AM.  Feel free to leave whenever you need to.  We will enjoy food and fellowship together, as well as consider the important idea of our ‘vocation.’  Plan to join us for this time.  And feel free to bring a co-worker of friend.  Denny’s is located at 12697 Gessner Rd, Houston, TX 77064.

2. this Sunday, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and enjoy our monthly fellowship meal.  We will also collect the monthly deacon’s fund offering.  These monies go towards physical and material needs within the congregation.

3. lastly, this week’s devotional is a reflection on the Christian as pilgrim … and thus, where our hope is to be found.

Have a good rest of the week, and know that I will be in prayer for you,

Our Pilgrim Hope

Hebrews 11:10, “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

One common theme that runs throughout the Scriptures is that of the believer as a pilgrim (1 Peter 2:11a).  But I fear that this is a Biblical theme that is often forgotten and neglected.  Oh how easy it is to get sucked into the rat-race of this world.  Oh how easy it is to be absorbed by the things of the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions (1 John 2:16).  Thus, it is an imperative that Christians have this truth placarded before our eyes – that we are pilgrims in this world, that this world is not our home, that we are citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20). 

The life of Abraham is a wonderful example of what it means and what it looks like to walk by faith as a pilgrim in this world (see Genesis 12-25).  And there are two verses in Hebrews 11 that give us valuable insight into Abraham’s heavenly perspective: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance.  And he went out, not knowing where he was going … For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God (vv. 8, 10).”  Abraham was the man of faith – by faith he obeyed the word of the Lord and by faith he went to live in the land of promise.  But Abraham’s life was one of trial and hardship.  It was 25 years from the time God called Abraham from his homeland to the first tangible realization of God’s promises, the birth of the promised son, Isaac (Gen 21:1-7).

What was it that sustained Abraham as he sojourned from this place to that in obedience to God’s word?  Yes, it was his faith.  But where was his faith ultimately directed?  To the God of faith and his eternal promises!  “For he was looking forward.”  Abraham was looking forward.  Abraham was looking to the Lord.  Abraham did not live with his eyes fixed on this world, but rather his eyes were fixed on the ‘city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.’  Abraham was not looking to the earthy city, but his eyes were fixed on the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem – the inheritance that awaits all God’s children (1 Peter 1:3-5).  Abraham knew that the things of this world are passing and temporary, but the things of heaven are permanent and eternal (2 Cor 4:18). 

Oh dear Christian, may we walk in this world as Abraham walked – with our eyes lifted heavenward.  May our gaze be fixed on the heavenly Jerusalem – our eternal inheritance that is kept in heaven for us.  May we battle the temptations of the world with the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit.  And may we remember that we are pilgrims – that this world is not our home – that soon we will be worshiping the lamb with the heavenly host!  Oh Lord, Hasten the Day!!

– Rev. Robert Arendale,