9 But ye are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew
forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light: 10 Which in time past were not a
people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now
have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may
by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of
visitation. (1
Peter 2:9-12)
12 Therefore sprang there even of
one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and
as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13 These all died in faith, not
having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded
of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
on the earth. 14 For they that say such things
declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been
mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better
country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their
God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Heb 11:12-16)
In view of
recent developments in the course of our American nation, the words of the
biblical text above and the words of the old American folk hymn take on
profound relevancy to our present moral crisis. The hymn (Wayfaring Stranger)
has no specific author other than those courageous pilgrims and strangers who
gathered on the fair shores of America from every known corner of the world
seeking liberty and freedom, or else were brought in chains as slaves to labor
in the hot suns of the southland. There are bits of the Irish, the English, the
African, and God only knows what other ethnic components, that are contained
within its lines. The hymn is well over two hundred years old and was sung
around the time of the American Revolution.
Many of those who swarmed to America were seeking to worship their God freely
and without religious persecution. Others simply wanted to breathe free. Those
who came as slaves or indentured servants finally realized a freedom that far
exceeded that of their homelands. But ALL were pilgrims and strangers who came
to a strange new land. The words are tempered by a spiritual dependence upon
God and a loneliness of separation from loved ones abroad. But the greater
message is that of every Christian of every tribe and nation on this earth –
all pilgrims and strangers who are looked upon by the world with contempt and
brimming hatred.
Poor Wayfaring Stranger
I am a poor wayfaring stranger,
While traveling through this
world of woe.
Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor
danger
In that bright world to which I go.
I’m going there to see my
Father;
I’m going there no more to roam.
Refrain
I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.
I know dark clouds will gather
round me;
I know my way is rough and steep.
But golden fields lie out before
me
Where God’s redeemed shall ever
sleep.
I’m going there to see my
mother,
She said she’d meet me when I come.
Refrain
I’ll soon be free from every
trial,
My body sleep in the churchyard;
I’ll drop the cross of self
denial
And enter on my great reward.
I’m going there to see my
Savior,
To sing His praise forevermore.
Refrain
I
am a poor wayfaring stranger, While traveling through this world of woe. Yet
there’s no sickness, toil nor danger In that bright world to which I go. I’m
going there to see my Father; I’m going there no more to roam. People of Irish, Scotts,
English, German, French, etc. descent were scattered from the Adirondack
Mountains of New England, along the coastlines, the Appalachian Mountains, and
the Midwest. They paid a price for their separation from familiar family and
friends to live in the then-desolate wilderness areas of America. Their hearts
yearned for home and hearth, yet nothing to them was more highly treasured than
their freedom to speak and believe whatsoever they believed the Holy Scriptures
revealed to their weary souls. The world today is still one of woe to the true
believer in Christ. It is quite alright, as far as the world is concerned, to
believe in Buddhism, Hinduism, and, especially, Mohammadanism, without
reprisal; but the world cannot tolerate Christ. Christ is uncompromising with
the cherished evils of the world and keeps getting in the way. Better live in a
wilderness area with the bright hope of Heaven, than a palatial estate in fear
of the coming judgment. Once the pilgrimage of the Christian draws to an end,
what a bountiful blessing awaits – an eternal bliss that is not subject to the
fickle whims of politics of social pressures.
I
know dark clouds will gather round me; I know my way is rough and steep. But
golden fields lie out before me Where God’s redeemed shall ever sleep. I’m
going there to see my mother, She said she’d meet me when I come. It is nigh impossible to cross
the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to America without encountering devastating
storms. In fact, the Atlantic is noted for such immoderate weather. But, if one
wanted a better land than the oppressive climes of Europe, he must cross that
sea and battle those storms and headwinds. Life is not different. We are
traveling a wilderness in this life not so much different from that of the
Hebrew Children in traversing the Wilderness prior to coming into the Land of
Promise. Every tribe and nations which Israel confronted in the Wilderness
tried to destroy them.
It is the same for the Christian in this world. Satan began
by gentle taunts against the strong faith of America years and decades ago.
“Just allow us to teach evolution side-by-side with creation science and we
shall be happy.” “Just allow us to teach the philosophy of Marx and Engels
along with your teaching of Christian values in public schools and we shall be
glad.” “Just allow us to corrupt your money system by undermining any real
value of the dollar, and you will retain your own wealth.” “Let us abrogate
certain provisions of the US Constitution by imposing a tax that is not equally
shared by every citizen and we shall leave the rest alone” We allowed the
Trojan Horse into our gates, and now we are paying the price with a bankrupting
Keynesian economy that has only one destiny – the bottomless pit. But the hope
of the Christian is not this world, although he is called upon to vigorously
oppose the sins of this world. The destiny of the Christian believer is not of
this world, but of Heaven where he shall join those loved ones who await his
coming ‘cross Jordan’s Waters. The poor indentured servant had hope of that,
the enterprising industrialist had hope of that, and the slave of the field had
that same hope.
I’ll
soon be free from every trial, My body sleep in the churchyard; I’ll drop the
cross of self denial And enter on my great reward. I’m going there to see my
Savior, To sing His praise forevermore.
The reward of the faithful is not gold, silver, and precious stones of
perishable mineral content, but rather imperishable stones of love, devotion,
loyalty, and security that only God can provide. Each of us is destined for our
bed of dying at some future point determined by God. And as it is appointed
unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (Heb
9:27) We are
cross-bearers in this life, but not the next! The greater reward will not be
the mansion prepared for us, or the splendor of the streets of gold; but rather
the Savior whom we shall meet face-to-face. Life does not end where Heaven
begins – it is just the opposite. We will not sit on fluffy clouds all day and
paly harps – but will be involved with the Father’s direct business. We shall
learn all mysteries and be satisfied with all knowledge daily.
The Refrain
I’m
only going over Jordan, I’m only going over home. Too many churches are trying to
make the world their home by bringing the world into the holy place when they
should be trying to take the holy place to the world. But our home is not this
world – it is Heaven. The true Christian can never feel at home in this world
because the world is forever at odds with our faith and values. Crossing over
Jordan Banks at the moment of death, we shall cross from the sinful and
contrary state of the world into the bliss of perfection and undying love in
Christ. We are soldiers – men, women, and children – who have fought the good
fight, wandered in the wilderness, and have now come home to its comforts and
loved ones.
You may recall the famous words of John Bunyan in Pilgrims
Progress in describing the going home of “Mr. Valiant for Truth”:
After this it was noised abroad that Mr.
Valiant-for-truth was taken with a Summons by the same Post as the other, and
had this for a Token that the Summons was true, That his pitcher was broken at
the Fountain. When he understood it, he called for his Friends, and told them
of it. Then said he, I am going to my Fathers, and tho’ with great difficulty I
am got hither, yet now I do not repent me of all the Trouble I have been at to
arrive where I am. My Sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my
Pilgrimage, and my Courage and my Skill to him that can get it. My Marks
and Scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought his
Battles who now will be my Rewarder. When the day that he must go hence was
come, many accompanied him to the River-side, into which as he went he said, Death,
where is thy Sting? And as he went down deeper he said, Grave, where is thy
Victory? So he passed over, and all the Trumpets sounded for him on the other
side.
— John Bunyan, Pilgrims Progress
