Required reading
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (available from Amazon or free on the internet,
here for example)
- Read to the end of the book.
My notes and thoughts
Today the pilgrims move through the Enchanted ground, meet Stand-fast and then spend time the Land of Beulah before most of them cross the River to the Celestial city.
I enjoyed Mr Stand-fast's speech from in the midst of the River. He speaks of what he is going to and the primary emphasis is on going to his Lord: 'I seem myself now at the end of my journey, my toilsome days are ended. I am going now to see that head that was crowned with thorns, and that face that was spit upon me. I have formerly lived by hear-say and faith, but now I go where I shall live by sight, and shall be with him, in whose company I delight myself. I have loved to hear my lord spoken of, and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there I have coveted to set my foot too.' How great is that last sentence!? Why do we not covet to set our foot where our Lord has walked? Why do we so often sin instead of following the example of the sinless one?
Final verdict
What can I say? This is a book that is rich in theology and is packed with application for our lives. It was hard throughout my posts to know what to comment on - so much hanging fruit just waiting to be plucked! Pilgrim's progress should be compulsory reading for all Christians. And not just once, but many, many times. This is not the first time that I have read it and I doubt it will be the last. A book that will grow with you until you cross the River yourself.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
4 comments:
Finished Pilgrim's Progress! What a marvellous, marvellous book! I had read portions of it in a children's version (with all the fabulous theology conversations removed, sadly!), but this was the first complete reading in a full version. I am so glad I read it, and absolutely agree it should be both mandatory and read over and over. I especially liked the theology lessons drawn from nature, as it is such a fertile field for meditations on the work and attributes of our God and Saviour, yet (for me at least) although surrounded by it daily, I so seldom stop to do the very meditations it is presenting before me. Since reading the book, I have endeavoured to be more mindful of all the witnesses surrounding me.
I also need to put to memory the last little poem:
What danger is the pilgrim in,
How many are his foes,
How many ways there are to sin
No living mortal knows.
But for the abounding grace of God to sinners, sin would snare us each and every one and keep us from completing our journey!
CJ,
Great to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed Pilgrim's progress. It is excellent.
What's next? Buyan's Holy War? It might be good to continue with him while you're finding him so helpful...
Joel.
I read Holy War con-currently with the book club (back when I managed such things! :)), so I've started on Bates Works. Sadly the scanned copy online has produced a very poor OCR copy, so I'm having to read from the PDF, which slows things down for me as its SO small on a Kindle (and so hard to read any length on a screen!). Anyways, I'm making progress :) and enjoying the first section very much. It's more encouragement for me to see God's hand in everything in both creation and providence, and that's an area I need encouragement and work on, so it's a well timed read. Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!
CJ, I did scour the internet yesterday for a better quality copy of Bates, but with no success. I hope you're able to persevere with him. Hope you have a good Easter.
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