Christian Takes a Detour

"SO Christian departed from his present course so as to head
toward Mr. Legality’s house for help. But notice that when he had
drawn very close to the Hill, it seemed so high that it appeared to
almost hang over him and threaten to crush him. Being paralyzed
with fear, he stopped rather than go any further. As a result he did
not know what to do. Also his burden now seemed much heavier
than when he was formerly in the way.
There also came flashes of fire erupting out of the Hill that made
Christian fear that he would be burned.1 For this reason he was
terrified and began to sweat and tremble in his body. Now he was
sorry that he had taken Mr. Worldly-Wiseman’s advice."
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

It didn't take long for Worldly-Wiseman to convince Christian to abandon his journey and take a detour. One can understand why. He was promised ease and comfort. He was told that there would be no pain or distress. His flesh loved hearing this. The flesh wants to keep our dreams, hopes, carefree living, desires, and life. It doesn't like thinking about the cross and dying to self.

So, Christian decides to do things his way. He was chasing after what God had promised, but his flesh got in the way. This reminds me of a story that was told by my first pastor, Sammy Tippit. When I first was saved by God, I started attending his church, Hahn Baptist. Sammy was going through Genesis on Sunday mornings. I learned a lot. One important lesson was Abram and what happened when he walked by sight and not by faith.

Abram was promised many things by God. He had a very special relationship with God. He is the only person to be called a friend of God (James). This was one such promise.

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3

Now, the problem was that Abram and his wife had no children. How could he bless all the families on earth if he had no decedents? Abram decided to not wait for God to figure that out, he took a detour.

"Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children" Genesis 16

This detour had a price to pay. We still pay for Abram's sin today. His son, born out of wedlock, grew up and had followers that contend with Abraham's son, that God eventually gave him and his wife, to this day.

"And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” Genesis 16:12

Today, people start churches without God. These churches are very much like Worldly-Wiseman. They are fleshly, self seeking, morality without holiness, spiritual without Holy Spirit services. They are also very much like Abram's child born out of wedlock. These churches born out of wedlock, think that they have all the answers. They blow up small things to follow, so that the large ones that they do not follow won't be noticed.

Like Abraham and Christian we can return to the path that God has set for us. We must stop, turn around, and precede in the original direction that God had set for us, before our detour. We may carry a price for that detour, but we will be on the right path.