As you read this, Sue and I are on a sojourn through National Parks and other sights out West. We hope to be back by the 30th of March. According to the dictionary, a sojourner is a person who resides temporarily in a place that is not their home. We plan to stay one night in 15 different places and 2 nights each in San Jose, CA and Sedona, AZ. It’s only about 6100 miles roundtrip!
We could also be called pilgrims. Webster defines a pilgrim as a person who journeys to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion. In this journey we have something in common. As Christians, you are also pilgrims and sojourners in this world even though you remain in East Tennessee (home sweet home to me)! In addition, we have this in common with the heroes of faith described in Hebrews 11. The Hebrew writer tells us that they, “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). We have an advantage over the heroes because we have received the promised Savior in our Lord Jesus Christ.
As Christians we are fellow sojourners because, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). In God’s perfect wisdom, He determined that we would not be sojourning alone. From the foundation of the world, God’s plan allowed for like-minded and obedient followers to be added to His Church. A glorious Church with Christ as the chief cornerstone and our King. Today we plan to worship with fellow Christians in Sedona.
As we go about our everyday lives we often get weary and down. We need to keep in mind that this world is not our home. We should remember to be thankful that Jesus is our savior and has gone to prepare a place for Christians (John 14:2).
For the elders, Dave Benner