Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

THE PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH
last words of the New Testament, expressed this hope,
“Come, Lord Jesus.” The church, throughout the centuries
of the Christian era, has revived and revitalized this hope
many times; in fact Et has never died away. And even
today, if it should turn out that “we who are alive” shall
“remain unto the coming of the Lord,” we would consider
ourselves fortunate indeed. However, He has not come.
He will come-but not as yet. The promise, “This Jesus
shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into
heaven,” remains unfulfilled. What is the meaii,ing of all
this illu,siueizess of earthly life? Faith replies that it is not
delusion, but illusion; that the non-fulfilment of the
promises literally, is a pledge of their spiritual fulfilment
later; that God, by their very non-realization, lures us
onward and upward to nobler things. Suppose, for in-
stance, that the spiritual side of the Abr>ahamic promise had
been revealed to ancient Israel at first; suppose they had
been informed at the outset that God’s rest is inward, that
the land of promise is to be found only in the Jerusalem
which is above; not material, but immaterial; not visible,
but invisible. That rude, gross people, yearning after the
flesh-pots of Egypt, willing to go back into slavery so only
they might have enough to eat and drink-would they have
quitted Egypt on such terms? Would they have taken one
step on that pilgrimage which was to find its meaning in
the discipline of the ages? No-they had to be lured on
by something visible, something tangible. So we are lured
on through life as upoiz a journey. Could man see the
route before him-a flat, straight road, unbroken by tree
or eminence, with the sun’s heat burning down upon it,
stretching out in dreamy monotony-he could scarcely
find either the inclination or the energy with which to
begin his journey. It is the very uncertainty of that which
is not seen, that which lies just around the bend, that keeps
expectation alive. The view we think we may get from
yonder summit, the landscape that may be glimpsed as
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