Hearts Set on Pilgrimage

Written By Daniel Gehman

Blessed are those Whose Strength is in You

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

Whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baka,

They make it a place of springs; 

The autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength,

Till each appears before God in Zion. 

Psalm 84:5-7. NIV

As a youngster, I gleefully joined my congregation in singing “Marching to Zion,” aware it was a reflection on our journey to heaven, “the beautiful city of God.”  My understanding was that of a child but I did enjoy the idea of marching.  Psalm 84:5-7 describes this same experience, with added insights.


These verses sound like a beatitude. “Blessed” can be translated as happy, (“bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune” per Merriam Webster) but it might be taken to mean “enriched” or “enhanced”; that is, I’m better off having whatever is being described than not having it.  In this case, it’s two things:  the first is having our strength in God, and not in ourselves; the second is having our hearts set on pilgrimage.


To “set” suggests landing on a specific purpose; it’s like scanning the radio dial for the precise frequency of a desired station and locking it in. There is no turning to the left or right. Target obtained, we move forward; it’s a programming, as it were.

Pilgrimage is defined (MW) as “a journey to a sacred place,” or “the course of life on earth.”  For we who follow Jesus, these meanings merge; our life on this planet is but a journey to a sacred place neither on earth, nor even in the physical realm at all.  We are blessed as we find strength for the trek in God alone, because when the rubber hits the road, the one and only way we can progress is to rely on the Lord’s strength only, and not our own.


If we continue to walk in his strength, we will bring refreshing waters into dry and barren places (84:6), which is a delightful picture of the beneficial effects we can have on others if we stay the course; what is this outpouring other than the “streams of living waters” Jesus promised would be ours if we believed in him? (John 7:38) In this way our blessedness in turn blesses others. 


Going “from strength to strength” implies growth. Contextually, the strength here is in God rather than in the pilgrim; however, the sojourner moves from one plateau of God’s unlimited resources to another as enabled by the sovereign hand of the Almighty.  This assertion gives us confidence mixed with expectation as we look forward to successive seasons of experiencing God’s increasing strength manifested in us through deeper devotion, greater obedience, and love toward God and neighbor as we stay on the road.


When we finally reach our destination, the “sacred place,” it will be in God’s very presence “in Zion,” where our marching has ended, and we enter into eternal bliss and worship.

Daniel Gehman

Daniel has followed Jesus since 1979, has been married to Theresa for thirty-seven years, and recently completed his Master's Degree in Theology. He has served for many years in relatively conservative evangelical churches, including two terms as elder at his current church. Daniel identifies as same-sex attracted, and feels a calling to minister to LGBTQ+ persons in the church. He resides in Orange, California and is 65.

“My journey regarding the intersection of faith and sexuality began the very moment I decided to follow Jesus—which happened immediately after my first sexual experience with another man, my high school best friend. I never questioned the traditional Christian sexual ethic, even though I knew my desires were contrary to God’s perfect design. And yet, in His mercy, God has faithfully led me for nearly 50 years in devotion to Him, even as my fundamental “aesthetic orientation” has not changed.

I began writing as a hobby in 2021, took a break while finishing seminary, and picked it back up after graduation. I believe I’ve been given a gift for storytelling, and I hope my essays can offer hope, encouragement, and deeper understanding to those who might do me the honor of reading them. People have told me I’m a “deep thinker,” which I take as a great compliment—and I think that reflects how I’ve been shaped to seek the deeper meaning of things. I hold a deep appreciation for self-awareness and see it as essential to spiritual growth.

In my writing for Revoice’s Our Voices Blog, I return often to themes of self-examination, vulnerability, and the pursuit of spiritual maturity. I enjoy engaging directly with Scripture in my essays, looking at how biblical truths apply not only to my life but also to the lives of those around me.” — Daniel

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