Sojourn Book Discussion | Mama Bear Apologetics
May 11, 2024
Vison
To see every woman at CrossPointe Coast informed and transformed by the power of the Gospel for the glory of God, loving one another, strengthened and encouraged in their daily walk with Jesus, and equipped to share this glorious Gospel with others.
A Women’s Connect Group
What Does It Mean To Sojourn?
What synonyms come to mind for you when you hear that word? If, like me, you associate the “journ” part of the word with “journey,” you might be thinking of the traveling, wandering, miles-under-worn-feet part of the word. But connect that “so” to the beginning and all of a sudden the word has more staying power. The kind of staying that is going to be in one place for a while, even if it is not a permanent destination.
Sojourn: Synonyms include abide, dwell, inhabit, linger. It sounds like the sojourner plans to set up a tent and take residence for a time.
O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
Click here to read Psalm 15
These words, which David writes at the beginning of Psalm 15, recognize the seriousness of sojourning in the place where the Lord is. The question is full of longing while fully recognizing that not just anyone can waltz up to the tent of the Lord and receive a welcome. Sojourning in the presence of the Lord is serious, David knows, and yet it is what his soul desires more than anything else. It foreshadows the well-known words of his brother, Augustine, written in his Confessions many centuries later: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
The psalm continues with a description of the one who may sojourn with the Lord. It lists various character traits of the righteous person. The point is clear: if one is not holy, one cannot be with the Lord. We quickly relate to David’s realization—yes, Lord! We must be holy. We desire to be holy. We fall short of holy.
On Sunday mornings at CrossPointe Coast, we have a few moments in our service where we pause and reflect on God’s holiness, our sinfulness, and our Savior Jesus, who has been holy in our place and grants repentant sinners his perfect holiness. He not only makes us positionally holy (righteous) before the Father, but he also begins to change our affections little by little, through his Word and Spirit, to hate our stubborn sin and love his way. We grow in holiness! The corporate nature of our confession on Sunday mornings highlights another important truth—God does this work of increasing holiness in our lives in part through the gift of grace he has given us in the visible Church. We help each other toward holiness!
That is the whole purpose of the Women’s Discipleship ministry at CrossPointe Coast. We exist to walk with one another to Jesus. The women at CPCoast disciple one another in various ways, most of them simple and unnoticed. We catch each other after Celebration Service on Sundays and talk, listen, and pray together. We shoot a text to remind each other of a scripture when anxiety and fear creep in. We hang out in the pool with each others’ families and laugh and throw balls in hoops. We eat meals together and recognize the goodness of God in his abundant provision.
More formally, as a Women’s Discipleship team, we want to give you a few intentional and planned opportunities to continue to help one another grow in grace as we sojourn on this planet together. We will meet to fellowship over a meal in August and January. We will sit down to think through some good books six times in the coming year. And by God’s grace, we will help one another toward holiness!
Grateful to walk with you,
The Women’s Discipleship Team
Sandy Fyffe
Lizzie Adams
Amy Nies
The Women’s Discipleship Team
Sandy Fyffe
Lizzie Adams
Amy Nies
Upcoming Events & Gatherings