June 24

They go from strength to strength, until each appears before God in Zion. — Ps 84:7 BSB

"They go from strength to strength." The margin reads, "from company to company," but the idea here seems to be that the pilgrims move "from resting place to resting place." In ancient times, travelers would have certain designated spots where they would stop for the night, much like when Jesus tarried in Jerusalem, and his parents assumed he was traveling "in the company" of other pilgrims.

These resting places were essential, allowing the travelers to recover and refresh before continuing their journey. Spiritually, the psalmist applies this image to the Christian life, saying, “They go from strength to strength.” Each resting place is an opportunity for the soul to renew its strength and press forward on the pilgrimage to Zion.

In the spiritual journey, these resting places are moments of grace and divine refreshment. Each manifestation of the Lord to the soul, each promise that comes with power, each glimpse of Christ's glory, and every word of encouragement from God becomes a place of spiritual rest. These moments allow the weary pilgrim to pause, receive new strength, and continue their journey heavenward.

But where can we find true rest, except where God himself rests? Scripture tells us that God "rests in his love," and this is where we must find our rest as well—in the love of God, shed abroad in our hearts. God also rests in his Son, Jesus Christ, and all his satisfaction is centered on him. When the voice from heaven declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” it revealed where God's delight and rest truly lie.

So, as we follow the Lord on our pilgrimage, we find rest when we rest in him. Like the Israelites of old, who followed the cloud by day and rested when it stopped, we too must rest under the shadow of God's presence, trusting him to lead us from one place of refreshment to the next, until we appear before him in Zion.