by Lilly Lewin
Why I believe in pilgrimage…
Being a pilgrim rather than a tourist.
This means not overplanning your trip or your time.
You won’t see everything and that’s ok. You will get a taste of the place.
Being a pilgrim, not a tourist, means you might choose to do something different from the rest of your group.
Being a Pilgrim means…
Being open to the interruptions and unexpected things.
Maybe the missed train or the late plane opens an unexpected conversation or different scenery.
It might mean going a lot more slowly than you are used to going when you travel.
Giving yourself time to rest, time to ponder, time to explore rather than SEEING ALL the things.
For me, it means staying in a neighborhood, not just where all the Americans usually stay, and taking time to be present in the place.
Spending time in that location, eating at restaurants in the area, and noticing what happens in the normal everyday of a place.
Being a pilgrim means allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
Paying attention and being attentive to what God wants to show you.
Watching for God surprises along the way.
What do you notice? How is Jesus speaking to you? Through a symbol? A color? A bird or a flower that keeps appearing? The art or the music or the vista?
Being a pilgrim rather than a tourist means searching for the history of a place…taking time to pause in the oldest church in the area or learning about the people who first brought Jesus to that place.
It might mean listening to stories about what God is up to now.
Being a pilgrim is about savoring and being grateful for the gifts God gives you each day on your journey.
I have a sign in my house that says, The Journey is Everything…
I believe in the journey
I believe that the process of traveling is just as powerful as the destination itself.
We learn more by going than by staying at home.
It’s a gift to travel
A gift to explore new places and leave the comforts of home for places unknown, to allow the Holy Spirit to be your guide.
Praying for the Journey
Everyone is on a journey…everyone is
really a pilgrim…
a person on a journey
with a destination …
yet the journey is
just as important as the destination…
how one travels, with whom they travel,
what they discover are key.
What they give, and what they receive
on the journey are all important to the
journey itself.
Jesus was a pilgrim…he knew his purpose
and he understood his destination, but
he spent three years traveling from
place to place, without a home, without
any real possessions, teaching, healing,
giving of himself.
As followers of Jesus…we are called to
be pilgrims in the land.
not the kind that wear black hats and
buckle shoes and come on the Mayflower,
but travelers,
IN the World but NOT OF IT!
Our home is different…our home is
God’s Kingdom…
We are called to be Kingdom people on
this planet living our lives like JESUS while we journey towards
heaven.
Pilgrims, HOBOS for God’s Kingdom.
A HOBO is one who is Homeward Bound…
Bound for heaven but still on the road.
A pilgrim watches for signs of God along the way.
How is God speaking to you?
What images or symbols might Jesus use to get your attention or remind you of his love?
During our pilgrimage to Scotland, pink flowers became a symbol of God’s loving presence.
It started out funny as we chose a random restaurant that we thought might be Asian cuisine due to the decor. But inside, the cuisine was Italian and all the wait staff were wearing kilts!
We had a fun at that restaurant and the pink flowers kept following us. Normally, I am not a fan of the color pink. It’s not a color I use a lot or wear, and not the color of flowers I generally buy or plant. But this year, God grew some pink flowers in my yard just to remind me of God’s loving presence.
A pilgrim watches and pays attention to what Jesus is doing in them and around them.
YOU are on a journey …
a journey of discovery and seeking….
seeking and searching for who you are
and what is your purpose.
God has put this in you and He longs to
show you Himself along the way!
Where do you want to
go with Jesus?
What is He calling you
to experience on the journey with Him?
Where is Jesus inviting you to go?
How do you want to experience more of Jesus in the weeks ahead?
What would that mean?
HOMEWORK: PRACTICE being a Pilgrim in your regular life!
This week, take time to notice how God speaks to you. What does God use to get your attention? Music, clouds, a color, a smell, an animal or bird? What do you notice?
Keep a list everyday of the gifts Jesus gives you. What are the God surprises that happen each day? What are the ways Jesus shows you his love? These can be small or big. Take time to notice and write them down.
MINE FOR TODAY:
GIFTS a good cup of coffee, the rain we so needed, thunderstorm, giving myself permission to be tired, an actual nap, talking on the phone with my sister, taking the long walk with the dog
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
OTHER THOUGHTS ON PILGRIMAGE PRACTICE
Listen to me discuss my recent pilgrimage with Christine Sine.
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