WALKING AND PRAYING MY WAY TO ISRAEL (11)

Every place I have visited overseas, the fact that I was a tourist must have stuck out like a sore thumb. I know this because the vendors who were selling crafts or souvenirs would always head my way trying to sell me something. Even if I was not visiting one of the many markets they would often stop me on the street. Most of all my trips abroad was for mission purposes, but lets be honest, I was also a tourist. I guess it is hard for an American traveling in third world countries to keep from looking like a tourists.

But By The Way, when it comes to spiritual truth and our journey through this life on our way to that Golden City, we are not tourist, we are pilgrims. Notice the Scriptural Basis of our Blog.

Hebrews 11: 8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12Therefore 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.

13These 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.

14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16But 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.

Now let me point out some obvious differences between a tourist and a pilgrim.

1) A tourist is on a journey simply for the pleasure of it. His main goal is to have an interesting and enjoyable time. He is there (wherever there is)because it was his decision. On the other hand, a pilgrim is on his journey because He felt a call. His call was not from a tourist agent, but from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Note: 8aBy faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance… Notice, the Scripture says “He was called.” As believers we have a call upon us. We are traveling this Gospel road because God called us to it.

2) Notice also that normally a tourist has an itinerary, where as a pilgrim does not. He travels each day by faith, knowing that each day he will receive fresh orders as to exactly where and how to travel. Note: 8bBy faith Abraham…obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Abraham did not know in his flesh were he was going, but he was not traveling blind; he was traveling with spiritual eyes.

3) Notice that a tourist is always planning to go “home” after his vacation, but a pilgrim has no permanent home, except his spiritual one. Note: 9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: Abraham simple sojourned here and there. His tabernacle was a temporary shelter. Today as believers we tabernacle in the temporary shelter of this human flesh. Our real home is in heaven, from which we look and long for our redeemer to come and take us to be with Him

4) Notice that a tourist is looking on the temporal, the earthly, but a pilgrim is always looking through eyes of faith that helps him see a place not constructed by man, but by God himself and is permanent. Notice: 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. As believers we know the “hear and now” is not all there is. There is a heavenly city to which we travel and our responsibility is to get as many as we can to go with us. We must never lose sight of that fact.

5) Notice, a tourist makes his journey by money, credit card, or by some earthly benefactor. A pilgrim lives by faith. 13These 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. A Christian pilgrim lives by faith, sees the future by faith, clings to what he knows by faith, and is not ashamed to openly declare what he knows by faith. A tourist lives in the past once he returns home, showing his pictures, his souvenirs, and telling his travel stories. A Christian pilgrim lives in the present but his mind and heart is focused on the future; the high and spiritual goal of his journey.

6) Notice finally, a tourist my have visited many countries, and may have a favorite one, or he may have enjoyed them all the same, but purely for personal reasons. A Christian pilgrim sees a destination that cannot even be explained with human words. Abraham knew that there was no earthly place that would ultimately fulfill the longing in his heart. Notice: 16But 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. There is a longing in the heart of every Christian pilgrim to get a glimpse of that city that has been prepared just for them. A pilgrim knows that city is his ultimate destination where all that he could ever need is supplied, and more than that He will realize his ultimate purpose, and that is to praise his Creator for endless ages.

THOT: ONE CAN NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH A HOUSE HERE WHEN HE HAS A DWELLING PLACE, SPECIAL MADE, JUST FOR HIM IN HEAVEN