We are a pilgrim people – a hymn

Methodists in the area in which I live are part of the way through the Methodist Bible Month. Some of our preachers are modelling worship on a sequence of passages from the Book of Revelation. Many of these verses are obscure and difficult to penetrate. Jewish and Christian history has been built on a sequence of revelations. The Book of Revelation is one of those.

Meanwhile, as a nation, a world even, we are living in a time of change. As such we are a pilgrim people, moving forward, guided by the Spirit, reliant on God, dependent on our understanding of what is revealed to us now of how our Christianity can be expressed in our days and time.

We are a pilgrim people, forever moving on, 
each day a new creation, each dawn a brand new song. 
And when our hearts are rooted into one place and time, 
we lose God's moving Spirit, that singing, dancing rhyme.
	
The Hebrews came from Egypt, each turn along the way 
another revelation, another dawning day;
and through this God would teach them to always travel light, 
to trust grace for the future, to calm them or excite.
	
The shepherd of our future, calls us to something new, 
and this may twist and turn us before it can renew. 
But trust and God will take us, will help us realise
beyond imagination the hope that can arise.
	
We must not cage the Spirit, we must not quench the flame, 
we move with God together, are ready for the game. 
Each day a new creation, each dawn a brand new song,
we are a pilgrim people, forever moving on.

Andrew Pratt Words © 2015 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd
Metre: 13 13 13 13
Tune: THORNBURY