A Good And Pleasant Pilgrimage
David Francis
In our church’s vision statement it says “We aim to… be a blessing to the wider church.”
From Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland website:
‘We believe… in the one, holy, universal Church... Jesus as Lord and Saviour... the living Body of Christ, of which He is the head and of which we are all members.’
Jesus is the central focus and foundation for all Christians as they hold to the revealed and inspired word contained within both Protestant and Catholic bibles. (The difference in the books in their respective Bibles does not alter the fundamental belief in who Jesus is.) Sometimes, differences have reduced ecumenical cooperation and witness. But God moves and change occurs!
In the Swanwick Declaration 1987, Churches Together in England included the words ‘…we are strangers no longer, but pilgrims together on the way to your Kingdom’.
Ever since, when meeting with other denominations and Christian fellowships, I have been greatly encouraged to realise that for the most part, we are all pretty similar - experiencing the same tiresome, capricious world in good and bad ways at times.
When we listen, cry, pray, eat, drink and be merry with others who have the same Saviour, we should experience something akin to what Psalm 133 declares:
"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life for evermore..”
(Psalm 133: 1-3)
This song describes the joy and blessing of unity among God's people. Mount Hermon was a high, snow-capped peak in the north, and Mount Zion (Jerusalem), far to the south, is linked through biblical imagery to life-giving water being the source of the Jordan river - symbolising how divine blessing flows from unity, nourishing Zion's spiritual significance and representing the heart of God's presence.
The two mountains geographically distant, but symbolically connected in this picture of harmonious blessing. For us too, as we dwell in unity around eternal priest Jesus.
This ‘songs of ascent’, was sung by the Hebrew people journeying to Jerusalem for annual festivals. The ‘ascent’ was a physical and spiritual journey upwards toward God's presence in the Temple in those times.
This is what happens when we ‘pilgrimage’ and do things ‘on our journey’ with others of like mind and the same God. Great blessings and answers to prayers, help and guidance from God along the way, problems shared, support and comfort given and received.
A new command I give you: love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
(John 13: 34-35)
Keep a lookout for opportunities to join in with other Christians around Harrogate.
You might be pleasantly surprised at the good fruit that abounds in the unity of Christian love for one another!
