Happy Holidays (pt.1): A Different Kind of Pilgrim
“Pilgrim” can be blandly defined as anyone who makes a journey for spiritual or religious purposes. In America we’re culturally conditioned to think of a group of English separatists who made a harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to escape religious persecution in their homeland. Or perhaps, if you’ve been a student of the history of Western Civilization, your mind goes to medieval Europe and the countless costly travels of wealthy Christians to get a glimpse of some saintly relic. In our present era the greatest annual pilgrimage is still about seeking freedom and the favor of God, but this pilgrimage is being made by men and women from every continent on earth to a sun-baked patch in the Arabian desert. Dressed in white robes they make corporate prayer, in rhythmic-like procession they retrace sacred pathways, in eager anticipation they wait to kiss the sacred stone...all in the hope that their sins would be forgiven.
On Nov. 14 the Hajj to Mecca will begin. Muslims who complete this once in a lifetime event will become known as a Hajji in their home community and be sought out for spiritual advice. Needless to say, this is a time of intense spiritual activity, both of darkness and of light!
Join with Christians around the world as we thank God for all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ, out Light, and intercede for our Muslim neighbors in darkness; pray particularly for our Global Partners serving in Muslim Lands. Also, take this opportunity to talk to your Muslim neighbor about “Hajj” and the greatest pilgrimage of all when the Word became flesh...
