How does a pilgrim progress?

All I ever needed to know about moving I learned from Moses and the band of pilgrims he lead through the Sinai. It may seem unusual that a modern-day corporate move, or a military transfer, or an assignment to the mission field, or a relocation to a retirement community would have any relationship to the grand exodus, but the second book in the Bible has many life applications for us today. It has been said that no one stands still. "You are either moving forward or backward." Every Christian is on the move. Whether facing a transfer or a spiritual challenge.

Hopefully all of us has one goal: the Promised Land. On interesting thought - many will arrive through a direct route. Some will get sidetracked and wander for a lifetime.

The Promised Land was the land given by God to Abraham and the Hebrew nation. It would be a place free of bondage. It would be a place where its citizens could freely worship the God of their forefathers. It would be a place for their children and their children's children to grow and become a great nation. Once there, they would prosper, provide for their families, and produce bounteous harvests season after after season. Canaan would be their future. Arrival meant a new beginning.

Modern day corporate pilgrims often move for the same reasons as the ancient Israelites. The family provider seeks a place to raise children free from the social ills that plague our communities. Mothers long for parks free of fear, schools full of a fervor for learning, and communities which fan a spirit of unity and neighborly cooperation. We move for many other reasons also. We pack up and sell our houses because there is no work in our particular field. Corporations restructure and move entire divisions across the nation. Parents grow old and children reorder their lives, returning home to offer assistance.

Preparing for the trip, organizing the details, anticipating the future become the center of the move-her’s life. The day to vacate arrives without warning. Emotions rule. The relocating family is either ecstatic or mourning and, to top it off, out-of-control feelings pop up in the most unexpected places! A multitude of last minute details must be checked off the list and then

…Inevitably, the journey begins.

What’s a pilgrim to do in order to survive?

After many false starts I learned the following: Pilgrims:

Pray

Imitate God

Love

Grow

Rebuild

Invite

Move

Over the next 7 weeks I am going to be posting about these seven topics. If you are a regular visitor I am honored that you visit me on Mondays. Won’t you consider spreading our tent, by mentioning to others who are on the move that we gather here for encouragement and spiritual nourishment to spur us on to make each move a success story to the glory of God.

Remember – if there were a better place for us to be, God would have placed us there instead moving us here!

Until next week when we will discuss the prayer of the move-her-

Shine!