When I was in my twenties, I had a unique opportunity to visit Bunhill Fields. This cemetery, designated for nonconformists, serves as the final resting place for notable figures such as Daniel Defoe, a devout believer and the author of “Robinson Crusoe”; William Blake, the English poet and painter; John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement; Isaac Watts, revered as the father of English Hymnody; and our very own John Bunyan, pastor and author.
Looking back, I realize that the experience was somewhat wasted on me. I had gone there at my father’s recommendation, at a time when I didn’t fully appreciate standing among the spiritual giants interred there. Although I was distant from God, my love for my dad motivated my visit. I journeyed across the city to a place that, centuries before, lay outside the city limits. As I roamed the grounds, absorbing the sights and sounds, I now wish I had recognized the significance of that moment.
Yet, isn’t it characteristic of the Lord to bestow grand gifts upon us, even when we lack full awareness of His kindness toward us? Isn’t this a trait of the gospel? Soon, in our reading, we will encounter Christian coming to Christ, passing through the Wicket Gate, without shedding his burden — a point of contention for many throughout the years. This mirrors the testimony of Christian (and Bunyan): Progress unveils the value of what we possess. Christian passes through the Wicket Gate and is saved… but his burden remains! God doesn’t demand that we possess complete knowledge of our salvation before He saves us. Christian’s burden was primarily psychological after he was pulled through the narrow gate. We are simply called to recognize and trust the object of our salvation — Christ!
Thinking of strolling the hallowed ground of Bunhill Fields fill me with fondness. I wish I had lingered a little longer, breathed a little deeper, and captured a few more pictures. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp the significance of what I experienced. Similarly, I wish I wouldn’t meander through life, at times, burdened by the psychological guilt and shame of sin, because the truth is, Christ has paid for it all! When we receive Him, we receive all that resides within Him. The more I navigate this Pilgrim Way, the more I comprehend the vastness of what I obtained when I received all of Christ. Lord, help us to recognize the magnitude of what we received when we received You!
