Pilgrim's Progress

Another book on the long list of books I should have read by now is John Bunyan's classic The Pilgrim's Progress.  How did I make it so long without reading it?  I don't know.  There are an infinite number of people I could blame it on--but it simply was never assigned, and despite the fact that I have owned it for years, I never sat down and tried to read it until a few weeks ago.

When I finally did, I loved it.  Every page of it seemed so true to me--I found myself in so many of the characters, from Mr. Worldly Wiseman to Mr. Money-Love to Mr. Hold the World...and far too, rarely, to Christian, the hero of the story.  He has recognized the death that awaits those who do not seek God, and he fought his way to the Gate, that he might enter the path to life.

  Perhaps it is because Bunyan does such an excellent job of highlighting how difficult the Christian walk is, but this book just feels so true.  It feels like an excellent handbook for remembering to remain focused on Christ, in spite of every challenge we face, for it is worth it.  Christian continues to talk about the goal of his life, to worship Christ in the heavenly city--nothing shall distract him from this goal.  This book convicted me because it is so easy to become distracted from the end goal of our lives.  We forget that we are made for eternity, to live forever worshiping Christ.  Perhaps in our walk together, we might remind one another of the end, that it is truly just a beginning.  Christian does not walk alone, but is joined in his journey by his brother Faithful, just as we do not venture alone.  Each of us goes along the Way, stumbling at times but always centered on Christ our Savior.