Seven weeks ago, we started on a pilgrimage through the Songs of Ascent, Psalms 120-134. I encourage you to read these Psalms. They are each short, but so full of meaning. First, we looked at Psalms 120 and 121, which focus on the starting point of our journey and the importance of our focus on the destination. The following week we emphasized the need for protection from our enemies along the way. Then we focused on traveling together in unity. The next two devotions were on “givers” and “takers”, then comfort and hope. Last week we talked about road conditions, and emphasized that God gives us strength for each challenge. Today’s devotional, the final one in this series, speaks to a crucial element of our pilgrimage through this earthly life toward our ultimate destination in the Kingdom of Heaven. That crucial element is the church.

Psalm 122 is labeled “A Prayer for Jerusalem,” and it starts out with a familiar verse, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’” Can you imagine how it must have felt to the Jews who lived outside of Jerusalem to actually enter the gates of the city for the annual festival celebrations? To get to Jerusalem, they had probably experienced an uncomfortable journey on foot, sleeping outdoors, sacrificing their livelihoods when on the journey (no paid vacation for them). But they were making the journey out of obedience to God when he commanded them to celebrate (Leviticus 23) and because back in that day, God resided in the temple so that is where they went to experience God (2 Chronicles 5:11-14). What joy as they entered the gates of the Holy City, laid eyes on the temple, and celebrated together their deliverance, God’s provision, and God’s ongoing protection. I imagine that they also enjoyed the fellowship of being with each other, kind of like the old “dinners on the ground” if you ever had the privilege of going to one of those.

Psalm 122:3 describes Jerusalem as a “well-built city, knit together as a single unit.” That is how David and Solomon intended, and for a time, it was just that. However, we know that subsequent kings did not follow God; the city was overtaken and the temple destroyed. Jesus worshipped at a rebuilt temple in a city that was ruled by Rome, and after that the temple was again destroyed. In the present day, Jerusalem is anything but a single unit. In fact, it is divided between the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. And it is anything but peaceful.

As Christ-followers in this day and time, we long for the New Jerusalem as described in Revelation 21:1-3. Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’”

Notice how the New Jerusalem is “prepared as a bride”. Jesus is referred to as the bridegroom in Matthew 9:15. And in Revelation 19:6-9, we read about what happens when Christ, the bridegroom, returns for his bride:

“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

Through these passages and the one below, we see that as believers, we are the church, and the church is the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem to be united with Christ, the bridegroom, in eternal life.

“…just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Just as the Jews obediently and expectantly made their pilgrimage to the Holy City of Jerusalem, as believers, we make a similar pilgrimage, obediently and expectantly, toward our ultimate destination. Thankfully, we don’t have to make this pilgrimage alone. We, the church, have the church to support us, love us, teach us, and to lift us up when we experience hard times. In truth, we are commanded to be the church, and the reality is that the church is our greatest asset besides the Holy Spirit to help us in our journey to maturity in the faith. Composed of imperfect humans, the church probably won’t be all things to all people. It might disappoint from time to time, but as believers, we must be obedient to this command, and the reward of being presented with Christ, holy and blameless on the great Day of the Lord, make it worth all the effort.

I know that some of you have been disillusioned by church. I know that some of you work on Sunday so it’s difficult to attend worship. I know that some of you think of the Mission as your church. And during this pandemic, it has become easier to disassociate from church because of social distancing. However, brothers and sisters, I implore you to work through these challenges and find yourselves a church home. Yes, as believers, we are part of the universal church. But the institution of the local Church has been given to us for our benefit, and you are missing out of some of the greatest earthly blessings of the faith by not participating. My sincerest hope is that you will experience the same joy in worshipping and receiving the Word of God from your local church that the Jews experienced when they attended their festival celebrations in Jerusalem.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

In Christ,

Judy

P.S. If you are a member of a church, please feel free to give a shout out to your church in the comment section.