In the book of Revelation John writes a forward looking message to a world yet to come. He hears Jesus tell him to: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” What John saw was a vision of the future in a fantastical way. At the time of writing John was on the small island of Patmos near Turkey in a cave like prison. The vision was deep and complex – not easy to fathom. From a place of dark remoteness John saw an amazing place of light and hope.
One of my favourite books has been Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. The original title is ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress from this world to that which is to come’. It’s all about the journey of one man through life to heaven. The book is full of hills and fields and ponds, there are mountains and seas. Yet Bunyan wrote it from a dark dirty small prison cell in Bedford Jail. Not unlike John on the island of Patmos! His ability to see beyond the circumstances of his life – to get in touch with the inner struggle, was amazing.
It’s a daily challenge to see beyond what is in front of our eyes both for ourselves and for others. We encounter people every day who are in dark lonely difficult circumstances. For their sake, we need to see what John the apostle and John Bunyan saw – that there is a world to come where light is abundant and tears and pain is absent.
For me, one of the best ways to identify with the journey to John the Apostle’s world without tears is to read through John Bunyan’s story of Pilgrims travels. It is at its heart the journey we all must take.
Why not challenge yourself to read Pilgrims Progress?
Rob Wykes 