1 – As I walked through the wilderness of this world
In 1677, John Bunyan wrote the first part of his book, The Pilgrim’s Progress, while imprisoned in Bedford gaol. Translated into over 200 languages and never out of print, Bunyan’s allegory has been more widely read than any other book in English except the Bible.
The Pilgrim’s Progress tells the story of a man called Christian who lived in the City of Destruction. It covers his conversion, the trials and joys of his life until he reached the Celestial City. Bunyan tells the story as if he had dreamed it. Here is how he begins:
“As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place, where was a den; and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and as I slept, I dreamed a dream.”
I am struck by the opening words: The wilderness of this world. How many of us see the world as a wilderness? The world is our home; we grow up in it, marry, have children, grow old and die in it. For many of us the world is a comfortable place. Of course, life brings its ups and downs, but overall, for us in the rich West, life is not such a bad experience.
But woe betide us if we start to adopt the world’s standards and ideals. The world measures success in terms of money, possessions, power and good looks. These are not what God values. The world may be our physical home, but it was never meant to be our spiritual home.
Peter writes,
Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 1 Peter 2: 11 [NIV]
That’s who we are: aliens and strangers. Christians don’t belong here; it is as if we are foreigners. We don’t fit in completely. We march to a different drum beat. We swim against the current. We look forward to a different future.
Lord God, please give me wisdom to live my life in a way which pleases you as I walk through the wilderness of this world. Amen.
David Long
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