Unbelief

I found the quote below on one of our student’s facebook page. Hebrews 12:1 - 2 talks how as followers of Christ we need to throw off everything that hinders our walk with the Lord. When we fail to throw off the barrier that separate us from Christ, we find we are left heavy and burdened and unable to really experience the Life that God planned; a life of freedom, love, and grace. In scripture a man prayed, "Lord I believe, but help me over come my unbelief." I have always been struck by the vulnerability and honesty in this request to Christ. God knows our hearts already, we can not hide. Therefore, we must come to Him honestly and confess to Him the true matters of our hearts. I pray that this quote is an encouragement to you too today.

"Your greatest sin is not the abortion that you've asked forgiveness for, or the adultery, or whatever it is that you did in your life in the past that you're ashamed of that keeps hounding you, your greatest sin is not that! Your greatest sin is not believing God's word when God says you're forgiven! Your greatest sin is unbelief! You wanna repent of something, friend? Stop repenting of sins that you've already repented of, and repent of your unbelief." - Preacher in "Voices" by House of Heroes

We are a pilgrim people

We are a people who are always moving, always wanting more, never satisfied, never full, and never finished. Go back to the Garden and see what we were created with pilgrim hearts: hearts to know, hearts to love, hearts to seek and glorify the God who made us and continues to walk with us.

This desire has not changed. Life this side of Eden may be far busier and more distracted, incredibly more difficult, and not nearly as beautiful, but our hearts are still the same.

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until if rests in you.” Saint Augustine

We have hearts that will never rest, never be satisfied, never be complete until we find the God who is at the core of all we desire and seek through this life. And so we journey on in our search.

Throughout the scriptures God constantly reminds people of their pilgrim hearts and calls them back to the path that leads them home. The psalmist declares, “For I am…a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me” (Ps. 39:12). The word pilgrim literally comes from the Lain word meaning, “resident alien” or “stranger.” This world is not our home. Our life here on earth is just one stop on this all – encompassing pilgrimage, a physical and spiritual journey home to the One to whom we truly belong. We are a pilgrim people.

Since all are called to pilgrimage (though no two journeys are the same), how do we remember what we have forgotten about who we are and the journey we are one? Without traveling far and wide, how do we awaken our pilgrim hearts? Pilgrimage in its purest and most traditional form is not about the destination but the journey itself. It is not about where we travel but how we travel. Pilgrimage is a journey made on the outside to mark a journey on the inside. Ultimately, pilgrimage moves us toward the One we seek. So although the beauty, adventure, and excitement of leaving home physically on pilgrimage are alluring, they are not essential. We are a pilgrim people wheather we leave home or not.

- Sally Chambers