The bible describes and depicts Christians in all kinds of ways – children, light, salt, a city on a hill, etc.

The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, describes Christians as strangers…foreigners…aliens in this world!

We are “pilgrims passing through” this life and this land, on our way home to be with the Lord! In the midst of a world that offers a lot of trouble and instability, we are a peculiar people with a peculiar hope:

“...[God] has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3

During our brief pilgrimage here, we are to set our hope completely on the grace God is going to bring to us when Jesus returns (v.13)! We are to be different, a holy people who have been saved by and filled with the power of the God of our salvation. So although we are pilgrims, we have an eternal purpose – to represent God and make Him known!

Peter applies significant Old Testament titles and descriptions to Christians. He tells the scattered and suffering Christians in the 1st century:

“9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession…10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Simply awesome! Through the gospel…through our faith in Jesus Christ we have been made what were not (the people of God) and we are considered what we are not (holy)...all by God’s mercy!

Additionally, we are not pointless pilgrims!

Sandwiched between these two sections describing who we are, God gives us some responsibility. We are pilgrims with a purpose!

“9...that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

God has made us His people in order for us to proclaim how excellent He is! God has purchased us in order for us to proclaim how He brought us from darkness into His marvelous light.

As you spend time praying today, worship God for the great mercy He has shown you and reflect on what it means to be taken out of darkness and set free to walk in the light.

Pray as well that you/we would be obedient to fulfill our purpose in this life and in this world. There are many in our lives, in our City, in our world who are still walking in darkness. Let’s walk through this life as pilgrims not merely passing through, but passing through to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus!