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By Ronald L. Dart
I am a poor wayfaring stranger,
While traveling through this world of woe.
Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright world to which I go.
I’m going there to see my Father;
I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.
The first time I heard “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” was a recording by Burl
Ives, sometime in the late 40s I think. The haunting quality of the song
got into my head and stayed there. One source called it an Appalachian
folk song, and that is probably true since so much of what we call folk
music originated there. It was fascinating looking for information on the
song, because the search results wove in and out of a much broader genre
of music that included the Negro spiritual.
You may have noticed that a lot of the old hymns are mixed and matched to
a set of old tunes, many of them Welsh. It is no coincidence that a lot of
the folks in Appalachia were originally from Wales. We often know the
stories behind the lyrics, but it isn’t so easy to find the story behind
the tunes.
But it is striking that those songs that rise out of great pain or
terrible loss, seem to match the greatest tunes. There may be a reason for
that. As we pass along our way in this life, we become increasingly
invested in this world and we forget for a time that nothing in this world
can possibly last. It is all vanity and a striving after wind. And it is
only when we become dis-invested, often by some catastrophic loss, that we
really come home.
I know dark clouds will gather round me;
I know my way is rough and steep.
But golden fields lie out before me
Where God’s redeemed shall ever sleep.
I’m going there to see my mother,
She said she’d meet me when I come.
Being a Christian is, for those of us living here and now, an easy course.
It has not always been so, and in fact even now is not so in other places.
In the first days of the Christian church, it was hard, and all but
impossible to invest much of yourself in this world. Life was hard and
dangerous for the first Christians, and Paul wrote to the Corinthians,
“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)
I suspect that the first heresies of the Christian church began to arise
as the eleven walked back from the mount of Olives and the ascension of
Jesus. Well, maybe not quite so soon, but certainly by sundown on the
first Pentecost. And the various corruptions of the gospel tended to
destroy the hope of those who trusted in Jesus. They were like
infestations of termites that ate away at the walls and foundations.
It was just such an infestation that prompted the great 15th chapter of 1
Corinthians. Paul opens the chapter with a statement of the Gospel: “Moreover,
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel.”
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how
that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
This is the center point of the Gospel, for if Christ is not risen, then
the whole thing is a sham. Those who call Jesus a great teacher or
philosopher simply do not believe in their heart that this man was dead
and rose again. And it was not just Paul who saw him.
"And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was
seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part
remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was
seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me
also, as of one born out of due time."
There was at that time ample testimony of the resurrection of Jesus, but
some, even some who characterized themselves as assenting believers in
Jesus who did not believe he rose from the dead.
"Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and
so ye believed. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how
say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?"
“Some among you say,” is the indelible mark of termites in the house. And
if you read Paul carefully, the signs crop up again and again.
"But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is
also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have
testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be
that the dead rise not."
“Let’s not play games,” said Paul, “If these heretics are right, we are
not well intentioned but mistaken. We are a pack of liars." There is no
middle ground here. Then follows a set of propositions:
"For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be
not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiful."
Take away from the poor wayfaring stranger any hope of a better world, and
there is no song left. We have so much of ourselves invested in this
world. We are still singing our song. We hope for better things in our
lives here and now, and they come for a while, but all the living know
that they will die. Only when that idea penetrates our consciousness are
we ready to sing a different song.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And
the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will
of God abideth for ever. "(1 John 2:15-17 KJV)
I recall somewhere back along my trail a discussion about the Greek
expression for “pride of life,” and attempts to make sense of it. There is
no hidden meaning here. Only meaning that we don’t think about very often.
And the meaning is contained in the song, “I am a poor wayfaring
stranger.”
In the song, there is no pride of life. I am poor. I am a vagabond, a
stranger. I deal with sickness, toil and danger. My way is rough and steep
and dark. I carry the cross of self denial. And then there are John’s
words again.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of
God abideth for ever."
From time to time in this world, God allows his people to suffer, in ways
great and small. All these are trials of faith. They are times of dis-investment
in one world, and investment in another. God has given us this great gift
which he has not given to his other creatures. We know that we will die,
and in our better moments, we know what Solomon learned and wrote for us:
It is all vanity and a striving after wind.
One of the more difficult books in the Bible is the book of Job. It is
hard, partly because the players are so long winded. But the really hard
part is that Job seems to be a pawn in a dispute between the devil and
God. Job was a wealthy man with a big family. He had ten kids. He was the
Bill Gates of his day, but in agriculture, not computers. He was the
greatest of the men of the east. He was fully invested in Agriculture.
And there was nothing wrong with any of this. He was a good man, a good
father. He cared about his family and his servants. He would have been a
good man to work for. He was honest and clean living.
Then there is this incredible scene where the devil comes to appear before
God and they sound like the best of adversaries chatting about the world
at large. God to Satan: “Have you considered my servant Job? There is
no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God
and shuns evil."
“Phooey,” replies Satan, “It pays him well to serve you. Have you not
put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have
blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread
throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he
has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
It was a challenge that could not be ignored. Job lost his family (except
for his wife whom he might have done without), his flocks and his herds,
and finally his health. He had nothing left except a set of acquaintances
we have dubbed “Job’s friends” and that is not a compliment.
And so, covered with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of
his head, he took him a shard of pottery to scrape himself withal; and he
sat down among the ashes. He is altogether a pitiful sight. The epitome of
Paul’s “of all men most miserable.” I will spare you the long dialogue
between Job and his friends, and cut to the moment of awareness for Job.
Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do all things; no
plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my
counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know. "You said, 'Listen now, and I will
speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of
you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and
repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:1-6 NIV)
These are hard words in the age of self esteem. Self hatred is something
modern psychology tries to avoid at all costs. In a way, though, what Job
is doing here is despising his life. He is abandoning the pride of
life.
Solomon came to a similar pass.
"Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth
darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in
darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them
all." (Ecclesiastes 2:13 ff.)
Yes, wisdom is better. Yes, knowledge is good. Yes, the wise man sees
while the fool stumbles in the dark. But there is a problem here. The end
is the same for both of them.
Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth
even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that
this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of
the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all
be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
Then, Solomon came to the "Job point" in his life. He came to hate it.
"Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun
is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Yea, I
hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should
leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he
shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour
wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the
sun. This is also vanity."
So, it was now time for a little self pity, and those of us who have not
been to this place will yet go there.
"Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour
which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom,
and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured
therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great
evil.
"For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart,
wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and
his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is
also vanity. There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat
and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This
also I saw, that it was from the hand of God."
Just live, my friends, he says. Live day to day. Enjoy your work, enjoy
your food and wine, for in this world, that is all there is. If you want
to go further, faith is required.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen. . . . But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he
that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:1,6)
But how can we know that we have come to this when we are young,
surrounded by so much wealth, in good health and strength, when we have so
much invested in this world? It isn’t easy, so sometimes it is necessary
for God to help us.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved
with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he
condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by
faith. (V.7)
And then there is Abraham, the archetype of the wayfaring stranger.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he
should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not
knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as
in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the
heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath
foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Vv. 8-10)
Abraham, Noah, Sarah and others would recognize this song:
I am a poor wayfaring stranger,
While traveling through this world of woe.
Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright world to which I go.
I’m going there to see my Father;
I’m going there no more to roam.
I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they
seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from
whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God
is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a
city.
All these men and women became dis-invested in this world, and invested in
another.
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon,
and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel,
and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched
the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were
made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the
aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were
tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better
resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea,
moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn
asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom
the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and
in dens and caves of the earth.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ Jesus, we are of all men most
to be pitied. All these people were completely dis-invested in this world
and, unless there was something more, it was all pointless. Because they
all died in faith without receiving the promises. (Hebrews 11:38)
This is what we have to understand when we wrestle with questions of
divine chastisement. In many cases, it is to liberate us from the
distractions that take us away from God.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and
faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:1-3 KJV)
Times of sore trials, times of pain, times of loss, are times of dis-investment
in the things that don’t really matter. They are opportunities for
re-investment in what really counts.
I’ll soon be free from every trial,
My body asleep in the old churchyard;
I’ll drop the cross of self denial
And enter on my great reward.
I’m going there to see my Savior,
I’m going there no more to roam.
I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.
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The
Sinless Life
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considered what it would mean if you could just live a sinless life?
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