Humility, fortitude, faithfulness – are these yet prized virtues in this modern world? I think of what it is to sacrifice oneself for the good of another. While at times self-sacrifice may be lauded in a movie or on the written page, it is seen as something only necessary at the point of last resort. What does it mean to daily place others before oneself and daily kill the selfish desires that plague one so? This is slow, plodding work. One step after another, through the mud and with great effort and with the realization that quick results are most certainly not forthcoming. Instead it is the building of a foundation for a tower that one may never live to see. My metaphors begin to be mixed, I know. But I am weary. I wish that I could of a sudden see myself transformed into a beacon of blazing light, the journey complete, the road ended, my witness sure and complete. Do I point to someone beyond myself? I hope you see me and know for whom I stand – a disciple of Jesus Christ, a man in the gap, a watcher on the high tower. I fear that at times my jersey is a bit too muddy and that my actions are anything but honorable. Thankfully there are better clothes I have been given, a robe of righteousness not my own. Still yet I do strive for faithfulness. May those precious words someday be said of me, those words that I can at times scarce bear to imagine without tears filling my eyes. “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” For now, I walk forwards, even if at times at a bit of a zig-zag. The path goes ever on and on. I walk to the crest of the rise and see the grey of the sea spread out before my aching eyes. A gull wheels overhead. To either side, I see a multitude. I am not alone. The sky opens and a bright light and a trumpet sounds and I fall to my knees. One day all shall see. One day mine own eyes shall see. Behold the Lord of all the earth. Behold my Jesus.
Tag: god
Towards Dawn we March ever So Slowly
Hello friends! A few words on a couple of books. I shall not be overly verbose this day, I swear.
51. The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. Oh Rothfuss. Leaving us hanging, are you? As I neared the ending of this one, I felt a few pangs of sorrow, knowing it is most unlikely we get a concluding book to this trilogy. Alas, but still I enjoyed reading this one, even knowing not all the questions shall be answered! I love how Rothfuss writes and this story continues Kvothe’s tale in all its glory and grandeur. I don’t like this one as much as the first book, perhaps partly because I feel this book stumbles a bit when Kvothe leaves the University. The first third or half of the book at the University is a delight to read, even if possibly it could have been drastically cut simply to move the plot along. The University portion really isn’t necessary to the story. But you know what? I don’t care. As someone who loves all the world-building in-between-filling prose of the Wheel of Time, I can’t hate the fact that Rothfuss takes time to simply show Kvothe’s continued growth at the University. My favourite parts are simply the times Kvothe is spending with his friends in all their ridiculousness. More of this. Less high drama please. I wrote a good bit more about the plot but then realised I really don’t want to summarize the whole book and erased all of it. At the end of the day, I do enjoy reading this one, but really don’t like how the author’s view of sex permeates the latter portions of this book and turn Kvothe into someone who it’s hard to root for. I’m much more on Denna’s side by the end of this, feeling a bit hurt and cast aside by the Kvothe she always felt she could count on. Still a beautiful story well told, even if he probably could have used a better editor to hustle along the plot. We may never get book 3, but at least we always have these first two. I honestly don’t really care about all the big questions – Chandrian, Amyr, Lockless box, Four-Plate Door, Kote/Kvothe mystery, etc. Honestly, I think Rothfuss shines most at the small moments – friends around a table at the tavern playing cards…music soaring through the air as Kvothe plays an old song and everyone sings along…Kvothe on a windy night gently conversing with a moon-bound girl. Rothfuss excels at these intimate scenes with characters you care about. I think Rothfuss should just tell Kvothe’s adventures at the University and forget all the rest of it. Would be a better tale, methinks.
52. The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall & Tony Payne. This book is fine. I have had it on my shelf for a while and thought I may as well read through it. I confess I struggle with “church tactic” books and this one was no exception. I know such books and discussions are necessary. And there’s not really anything wrong with this book, per se. I think I just find myself wearied by books putting forth the newest, latest-greatest discovery of how to do church ministry right. I’m doing this book a disservice. The authors are humble and acknowledge the lineage of church-growth trends and fads and attempt to make it clear that due to the multiplicity of church locations, styles and cultures, it is certainly impossible to impose a one-size-fits-all approach on a local church. Still yet, the book at the end of the day doesn’t contain that much that is new. Yes, discipleship is crucial at a local level. Yes, future leaders and gifted contributors should be identified and encouraged. And I appreciate the authors making it clear that all growth in a church (both spiritual and numerical) depends on the grace and power of God. Of course God does use means and the authors are attempting to put forth a strategy of disciple-making that they feel best fits the New Testament context. But at times, it feels as if the authors are attempting to make the verses they cite say more than they actually do. Even so? This is not a bad book. It is important to remember that local churches should attempt to minister to the people in their midst and part of such will be raising up the next generation of leaders. There were a few times I felt uneasy and that the authors were almost implicitly giving permission for church leaders to ignore the weaker and less-than in favour of the “people to watch out for”. That’s not entirely fair and I do understand any leader has to make hard decisions on how to spend their time. Still yet? Books such as this just give me a little twinge of unease at times. I thank God for his work in the church and that whatever the latest trend du jour is, he will continue to build his church. We must not be passive ourselves and we must press forward to encourage and build up our fellow saints. But always and forever, we lean on our Lord Jesus Christ and worship Him. One of the best things a church leader can do is model what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and proclaim his beauty and majesty in ways that make it impossible for outsiders to ignore the strangeness and radicality of the church of God. I’m grateful for books such as this that attempt to highlight ways churches have found profitable to glorify Jesus Christ and make Him known. But just know there is no one cookie-cutter way, there is no one tactic that can be deployed blindly in all circumstances and find success. Only through ceaseless seeking of Christ and utter reliance on the Holy Spirit can we in faithful witness strive. We set our hands to the plow and we know we are not alone.
Seashore
Good morning, friends! A Monday dawns and light breaks upon us in waves and soon the heat shall follow and we shall be reminded that yes indeed, summer is in full bloom. I wish I could say I’m grateful for summer’s heat but I don’t know if my gratitude for creation’s glory can stretch quite that far. Ah I suppose I could talk myself into it somehow. Summer is a good and proper season and the heat does make one sigh with wistful longing in anticipation for autumn’s arrival, so there is that. Summer – it’s here. July is a month that we know is going to be hot and that is that and no use complaining about it, so I shan’t.
But instead what I shall I use these few minutes before work to talk about? I don’t know, really. I opened this page knowing I had a few minutes so why not write something? I suppose I could say I’m just grateful for the time I had this morning to read the Word and meditate on God’s goodness to me. Even with not quite enough sleep last night (watching the scintillating England/Mexico game – England pulled out an all-time classic win in Mexico City – on the Lions!), I still was able to roll out of bed prior to 5am and get a shower, make coffee and then sit myself down and give myself some nice uninterrupted time to read.
Psalm 46, Proverbs 6, a series of depressing but inspired chapters in Jeremiah – oh how convicting it is to read such and oh how it makes me feel I ought be praying more for mercy for myself and our community and nation – and then beautiful chapters in Luke on the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Got to read Luke 7 and the story of Jesus with the woman who was a sinner. One of my all-time favourite passages and one that never fails to bring me to a halt as I consider and ponder what my Lord has done for me. Oh how beautiful it is to think on the fact that Jesus has forgiven me all my sin. I have been forgiven much. I have been forgiven everything!! How great then ought be my love? Utterly convicting to feel how often my love is cold and dry and how often I fail to be constantly praising my Lord and God for what he has done for me. I need to spend more time meditating on the wonder that is my salvation and my forever communion with my God. What a glorious thing it is to consider that I am a child of God. I have life with God and I have it to the full. I abide in Christ and in him I find true rest. This yoke is indeed easy, this burden is indeed light. In Christ and in Christ alone do I have rest for my soul. It is good to sit at the feet of Jesus this day. Oh how I long for that someday far off trumpet call and that moment when the horizon blurs with light as I see the last dawning and behold the consummation of all things as creation is made new. Oh how I long for that day when the sky quivers and the clouds break and my Lord Jesus Christ stands before my resurrected frame. For now, I tremble in dust and ashes. Someday though, I shall see my Lord with my own eyes, even though now my flesh and my heart are oh so prone to failing. Thank you, Lord, for taking me by the hand each and every moment. Please Lord, lead me to glory.
Father’s Day
Happy Sunday, friends! Hope you are having a most wonderful day wherever on the world you find yourselves at the moment. I very quickly will be transitioning into reading time here since I just realized it’s already past 5pm, but I wanted to write a few words first. Because besides being the height of summer (well, at least the longest day of the year and the point at which I realize that yes, summer is here), it is also Father’s Day! And so thought I’d write a few words about my dad – yes here in a public forum and all. I mean, I write enough about myself that I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising.
How do I start? I’m grateful to have a dad that I love talking to every day. I am now past my 39th birthday and headed to my 40th (which is strange to think on), yet still one of the highlights of my day is in the morning (almost always around 7am or so) when he calls or I call and we chat for a few minutes about life and sundry. It may be about sports or food or family or politics or Scripture or random life drama. It may be for only a minute or two or it may be ten. But nonetheless, it is always oh so much a joy just to get a few minutes chatting to Dad. I treasure these moments much. Because alas, we do not live nearby and it’s only a few times a year that we actually get time together in person, so of course our phone time is precious.
But that’s just current state. I look back at my life and while I could spend far too much time talking about various moments of my life and the people that impacted me, it would not be surprising for me to say that one of the people who’s impacted me the most throughout the course of my life has been my dad. I of course have memories of all the fun things we did together as I grew up – going to baseball games in Baltimore, playing football in the park, going to the beach for vacation and playing all kinds of random games, so many cards games! – but those aren’t the memories I hold the fondest. No indeed, I think on the life my dad lived and the example he has given me. I remember growing up how he prioritized his walk with the Lord – this walking being both literal and metaphorical! – and I remember how he talked about God in such a way that I had no doubt God was real. I remember the deliberate time he took to go outside and walk in the woods and pray to God almost every day when we were small. I remember how he made it a point of focus to lead my family in Bible-reading and singing and prayer almost every evening before we went to bed. At times I’m sure I wasn’t excited about it or didn’t truly understand all that was going on. Yet one thing I did get. It was important to spend time meditating on God’s word and worshipping him in spirit and truth. I had no doubt that my dad loved God mightily. I had no doubt that the faith of my dad was real.
But yes, even as I got older I made the realization all kids someday make. Wait…my dad isn’t actually perfect, is he? Yet even that was a lesson to me. I saw how Dad leaned on the Lord and cried out to him and made God his support and strength even in his very own weakness. I witnessed my Dad’s utter reliance on God in the valley of the shadow of death and his steadfastness even when life was ever so hard. I think of one word when I think of my dad – faithfulness. Throughout the travails of this life, he pressed on to know the Lord and be faithful in the day to day. Oh that has been an inspiration to me and even now it is something I often think on. I have no desire for great things in my own life. I simply want to be faithful to my God no matter what comes. My parents had many trials and tribulations they passed through (and are still passing through!) yet I witnessed my dad’s faithfulness to His Lord throughout. My dad spent the last twenty-six years of his ministry as a pastor of a small church and times were not always easy or fun in this ministry. Still yet? Dad was faithful in the strength of the Lord. And beyond that? I witnessed his love. I sometimes fear my own love is cold and not what it should be and I cry out to God to soften my heart. For I remember the example of Dad and how he loved others – he loved the weak and the downtrodden and the poor, the people in this world who most would despise and think little of. My dad loved them in real and tangible ways, with time, money & emotional energy, seeking day in and day out to show the love of Christ to those people around him who needed it. Oh that I might model such in my own life, loving others as I put their needs before my own!
And wrapping this up, as I know I have written too much already. I see the love Dad has for my mom and for us his children. Even now as I seek to love my own wife, I remember how Dad loves Mom and puts her needs and wants before his own and how he does all he can to protect, honour, love and cherish her in the mundane of the day to day. Oh if I could love Dani only a fraction as well as Dad loves Mom, I’ll be grateful!! And I see how Dad loves us his children. Yes, he loved us in raising and providing for us and giving us fun times. But also? He loved us in disciplining us and training us in the way in which we should go, teaching us the things of the Lord and mightily modeling what it is to be a child of God. He showed us true humility, what it means to be a servant of all. Dad showed me that only through daily going to the Lord in His Word and in prayer would we truly be able to thrive and rejoice in the trials of the everyday. Even now, as I seek to read the Word each and every day in the knowledge of how much it benefits my soul, I thank God that he gave me such an earthly father, one who points to my heavenly father.
Yes, I know that Dad isn’t perfect. He’s a man, after all. Yet by the grace of God, he’s a redeemed man, one who God chose and blessed and called in ministry to serve him all the rest of his days. And so as I think on my own life and recognize my own follies and frailties, I thank God for the gift of my earthly father and how God has used him to bless me so. I thank God that through him, I am reminded of what it is to be a man of God. I lean on my Lord in quiet desperation and in fervent hope look above to what is to come, that day when we shall be with the Lord and see his face. I know that this too is what Dad longs for. We look to that day when we will be in the presence of our heavenly father and we worship together as brothers, forever.
Thanksgiving
Around the table our voices raise as we sing before we pray. It’s a tradition that some may deride as old fashioned yet for us it stirs our souls and feels only right to worship as we start this feast that’s set before us. Our voices align in unity of purpose even with the voices that are dropped to sound in harmony. My eyes close as the last notes rise and fall and then resolve and then the amen sounds as is only proper when the doxology is sung. Then without even a word being said we raise our hands and join them together. I feel hers in mine and she squeezes slightly. And then my sister on the other side grabs mine and holds it lightly. And we bow our heads and then my father prays to the father of us all. There is thanks given and praise raised and of course mention made of each one of us that around that table stands and of the blessings that have rained down innumerable upon us. I sigh in my heart and let my own prayer rise silent but no less fervent to the invisible heights above where the risen one sits at the right hand of glory. The prayer goes on but only for a few more ticks of the clock, for of course while prayer is good, so is eating and to be sure it’s best to eat while the food is still hot. The amen sounds again and this time we turn to each other and smile and drop hands and pull our chairs back and sit with more or less commotion depending on who is sitting next to who. And then right when my fork is dug in and the perfect bite is about to be raised there’s a voice that pierces through. What about a toast she says? And though a part of me wants to just take a bite, I cannot say a word against so I take my glass of crimson red and raise it high and say my piece. Glory glory to our King. No matter what comes and no matter who goes, no matter the waves and no matter the storm, it is good for us to rest in the peace that comes with knowing our Lord. It is good for us to be here together in this place.
Breakfast
Hello friends and happy Friday! It’s been a bit and thought I’d bring back that old classic – an early morning pre-work post! Not promising I’ll say anything profound of course, just thought I’d dash out a few lines and say hello. I’m ever so grateful for a work-from-home day this Friday. Been a busy past few days at the office and so to have a day at home today is truly a joy. Already about done with my first cup of coffee and thinking it’s almost time to brew my second. But right now, enjoying a few quiet moments of peace.
It is good to be still and silent and meditate on life and all that has come before and all that now is and all that is yet to be. At times I feel we can be oh so busy dashing between this errand and that appointment and this event and that outing that we have no time to reflect and ponder. I confess that is not usually my weakness – some could say I have too much time to think and write! Yet I would still argue that we do such a good job filling our time that there is not those in between spaces that are so valuable to the health and growth of our own minds and souls. Those in between spaces are when our minds wander down those little paths and think thoughts that may turn out to be ever so fruitful. Of course not always. Sometimes we let our minds dance into thickets and briar patches that are not quite as amenable to our thriving! But still the point stands that we need to be careful how we are filling our time. Or how we are allowing our time to be filled. Even think of that ever present quite helpful device the phone. When we are at the store in line or in the elevator or just on the couch trying to read…how often do we pull out the phone on autopilot idly scrolling away at whatever the algorithm has decided to present to us that moment? And so we allow our minds to be filled and occupied by much that is not ideal. I am attempting to be more purposeful on what I think on. Ought we not think on what is good and true and lovely and meditate more on the real and beautiful instead of letting our minds pick at the vacuous fripperies that are shoved our way?
So today let’s think on the beautiful. I want to ponder how much I have been blessed and meditate on the God who made me and all things. I want to think more of Christ and the beauties contained in his work and word and all the glories he has brought me as he bought me with the blood he shed oh so many years ago. I want to think on that greater story that makes all else fade as I consider the solidity and reality of the fact that I am a child of God. What a wonder it is to consider the anchor that holds me fast as I know I am held and loved by the God who calls my name. Though too often I fear the storms of life and let anxiety fill my heart as I wonder what is to come, I need not fear. The storms may howl and the winds may wail yet no matter all the water that slops in the boat, I am confident that this boat in which I sit will never sink and that it will never run aground. Only someday I look forward to when we land on that far shore and I step out on the beach with heart exultant, eager for a good breakfast of fish and toast and communion with the one for whom my heart longs. Now we know in part – one day we shall know fully just as we are fully known. Peace and love, my friends. Peace and love.
Hear Ye Now
And behold, a violent storm developed on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
-Matthew 8:24-27
What words are these! Mightily struck by reading the above this morning and ever so encouraged. Who is Jesus? This passage forces us to grapple with the question. He is one who is human – he needs sleep! – yet also one who holds divine power. Who holds such power over the very forces of nature? No mere man. This passage also has moments of humor – Jesus asks the disciples why they are afraid. If I were them, I would simply point to the sea that is even now swamping their boat! But in this question, Jesus is also gently rebuking them. They have already submitted themselves to Him and acknowledged his authority. But clearly their faith is at a weak point here and their verbal acknowledgement of Jesus has not yet extended to full understanding of who He is and a simple trust that clears away the daily anxieties of life. So do we too fear and doubt and worry and fret each and every day, forgetting that Jesus holds our hand and is united to us in a reality too wonderful to imagine. And that leads us to the last question the disciples ask, which is the only appropriate one to ask here. The disciples ask, “What kind of a man is this?” Indeed. We are united to Christ and we can delight in that fact. But do we realize that Jesus is not a mere man or a wise counselor or good buddy but…in actuality God Himself, containing all the fullness of deity and lacking none of his glory? Consider Jesus.
The disciples have weak faith and are feeble and frail in this passage, as so are we each and every day. Yet look at how they respond here. Despite their weakness, they respond just as we should. They go to Jesus, knowing that in him is their salvation. And then they consider the nature of Jesus and wonder. So too let us remember that only in Jesus is there any hope. The storms may rage and the seas may crash around us – as they so often do. Go to Jesus! And let us meditate more on Jesus, on who he is and what he has done for us who cry out to him. Oh how beautiful it is to think on Jesus and ponder His nature and wondrous glory. Jesus is our delight, our hope, our light and our song and our only salvation. We have salvation in nothing we have done. We have fullness of life and eternal delight only through Jesus. Who is Jesus? He is very God and very man, the way of salvation as eternally and divinely decreed in perfect wisdom and extravagant love. What makes our heart beat so in expectant hope and dawning joy? Consider Jesus.
The Shack Downtown
Hello friends! A few words this evening before I turn my eyes to better things. It is good to rest this Sunday and consider the works and words of God. I am grateful for days of rest such as this one and even more grateful for the true eternal rest that is mine in my Jesus forevermore. This morning before church was able to find a few minutes to enjoy my coffee and read in the Scripture and was most blessed by my reading as I stepped through some of my favourite passages. Firstly, as of today I have begun the epic trek through Isaiah. Truly one of my favourite books and I’m so excited to read it these coming weeks!! I say weeks as I doubt it will be days – at least it certainly shouldn’t be as that would mean I’m reading it much too quickly. And I also read a bit in Matthew – been lingering in Matthew 5 these past few days, wondrous words from Jesus that he preached oh so many years ago yet still they ring strong and echo throughout the world in their beauty and their truth. Reading Isaiah and Matthew together? Perfectly marvelous and I’m most eager to see their resonance. Today as I read, was particularly struck by the authority and majesty of Jesus as he said words that could only be said by one who in himself held sovereign power. His words rang with authority and people marveled at them. Take in these words which he said – “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” That verse hit me hard today. As I now read through Isaiah I should not consider it full of dusty dry words that are now of no account because of the coming of Jesus who has made all new. No, instead I should read the words of this prophet and consider that they are words that are fulfilled and made all the sweeter in the full light of the mystery unveiled in Christ – the divine plan of salvation that is now revealed for the world to see. And consider the authority in that statement – “I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Not some wimpy statement indicating that perhaps some of his deeds would by chance fulfill a prophecy or two. No, Jesus came to fulfill in his very person and with full intentionality and in the fullness of his nature as God and in the fullness of his nature as man he came to bridge the gap that the grand story would come to its climactic moment in which God now offers full communion to fallen man. What a marvel, what a story!
And it is true and it is real. Jesus did not come to abolish all that has come before, even the words of God that rang throughout the millennia. Nay Jesus in and of himself came to fulfill. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises of all the ages going back to the first echoing of the gospel as the serpent’s death was prophesied at the the bruising of the conquering Seed. Consider how this Jesus was bruised for me, for you. He was beaten and bruised and even for us was pierced, crushed, chastened and scourged as laid upon him were the iniquities of us all. Consider the blood that ran fresh from the cursed tree as this Jesus died for you and for me. Consider Jesus, the one of whom that spear was run through swift and true and of which the water and the blood testified that it was finished true. Consider Jesus, the one who bore the sin of many and who even now intercedes for us. Consider Jesus who did not come to abolish but who came to fulfill and now that it is finished sits at the right hand of the Father, the work done now and for all time, no more need of any further sacrifice. Consider Jesus and his blood which was given for you and me, for all who in him alone would bow the knee and only in him rest and believe. Consider Jesus, whose yoke is easy and burden is light, the one who offers rest to us because he knows our toils and our pains. Consider Jesus, he who died and rose again to life victorious, conquering death and its train forever as he trampled upon that cursed serpent’s head. Consider Jesus, our only hope in life and death. Consider Jesus.
Seven Hills
A Sunday evening and possibly some reading awaits. But firstly, re-capping of previously done reading! Yes yes more books I’m sorry. I really shall attempt to write something properly at some point. Some day. But for now…
36. Men and Women in Christ by Andrew Bartlett. I’ve been reading this for the past month or so now and just now finished it this afternoon. I have been pondering its contents and most likely bothering some of my friends with thoughts and questions spawned from aforesaid pondering. Anyway I shall attempt to not write over many words because I don’t think my thoughts will be worth the reading. Why did I read this one? I think I saw someone else recommend it at some point and the summary intrigued me and so I picked it up. It’s been on my shelf for a few years now and so I finally decided to read it. And my conclusions? Mixed. Firstly, my biases. I have most certainly grown up in the complementarian tradition and have almost entirely listened to preachers and read books believing such. Quick definition – I would define the basic “complementarian” position as one that believes men and women have different roles in both the family and in the church, without diminishment of either’s personhood or worth. The counter “egalitarian” position is one which sees no divine restriction on any roles in family or church and believes that men and women can serve whichever roles they are gifted for. Those definitions are my own, stated baldly. There is much nuance and many variations on each. That disclaimer given, back to the book.
I was intrigued by this book because the author stated that he was attempting to approach this debate from a fresh perspective, grounded in Scripture and without being beholden to previous traditions. I appreciated a number of things about this book, though I did not agree with all of the author’s interpretations and conclusions. Firstly, I greatly appreciated the honor and reverence with which the author approached both God and His Word. He did not want to come to conclusions simply because of cultural milieu or pressures. Instead of approaching this debate with the end-result being pre-determined, the author genuinely sought to understand what God has to say about the roles of men and women in His Word. Secondly, while I have grown up in the traditional church model – men and women have different roles in the home; women are restricted in roles in the church – I also have been growing ever more aware of the way that history and culture have perpetrated abuses on women and have harshly demeaned and belittled the worth and dignity of women throughout the ages. And the institutional church does not have clean hands in this matter. This author does a fantastic job of pointing out God’s view of women – those who bear his image and are called by Him to proclaim his gospel – and making it clear that God does not love women any less than he does men. Thirdly, I was very appreciative of the way the author attempted to honestly and carefully present the opposing viewpoints, avoiding straw-manning and presenting the strongest views and statements of each side of the debate. I much appreciate this intellectual honesty, something sadly lacking in most of the furor over this topic. Fourthly, I greatly appreciate the love this author has for God, His Word and His church, and how he longs that this discussion might be something that leads to further unity the church. Fifthly, I greatly appreciate how the author does acknowledge the difference between men and women and even acknowledges there is a special role in marriage that men play that women do not.
I have already written more than I planned to, but while I have stated what I appreciated, what did I not appreciate? Well simply, I was not persuaded by the author’s interpretations of several of the key passages. The author has a habit of making very firm statements on validity or lack thereof of certain conclusion statements and then carrying the framework he has built in certain passages over to other passages. I.e. – if he has decided there are grounds for saying that Paul teaches mutual authority and submission in 1 Cor 7 and Ephesians 5, then obviously Paul would not be contradicting himself by his instructions to women in Colossians or Ephesians 5. If one disagrees with the former, then one will struggle with the latter conclusions, as I did. At times, there is a bit of a “house of cards” effect. If you agree with the author’s conclusions, then yes, you will agree with the author’s conclusions. If you don’t, then the reasoning appears circular at times. I’m being a bit harsh and I am not saying the author is being deliberately disingenuous. I don’t believe he is – I just do not feel his interpretive framework holds together. There is a bit of built-in bias leaning towards egalitarianism and I believe the author is swayed in that direction by degrees. That said? His argumentation was not poor and there were some rather conclusive chapters on passages of Scripture that I’d not heard before. Particularly appreciated the chapter on 1 Cor 14 – it solidified my believe that this passage should not be used to restrict women in the church. The chapter on 1 Cor 11 was also useful. I didn’t agree with everything, but I did appreciate the fact that he pointed to the cultural background and made a fairly convincing argument for Paul talking about hair-styles – not hats! The chapters on 1 Timothy (crucial chapters for this debate) did not convince me. I appreciated the author’s attempts, but as much as I did understand his argument that the flow and purpose of 1 Timothy points to the 1 Tim. 2 passage being targeted to particular women who were leading others astray, this does not seem to me a clear reading of the text. Taking on board the author’s later comments that not all Scripture is particularly clear or easy to read on its surface, I would still argue that Paul could not have worded 1 Timothy much more confusingly if he simply meant to restrict certain false teacher ladies from stirring up mischief. The author gives much weight to “Timothy would have known what Paul taught on such matters” or “Titus knew Paul’s teaching” – my rough paraphrases, not direct quotes – and I think at times the author over-complicates the plain reading of the text. Yes yes, the dreaded “plain reading of the text” argument can be mis-used, this I have no doubt. Yet for all the author’s reasonings, I was not convinced. I also struggled with the author’s thoughts on Ephesians 5. While I agree with the author that there is no divine command given men to “lead your wives”, the implicit force of the various household passages throughout Scripture do point to a hierarchical perspective on marriage. The horror. I appreciate the author wants an explicit statement (honestly, I wish there was one too, simply so that this debate could be forestalled!). But I do believe that if Scripture is read in its entirety, the difference in roles in marriage for men and women cannot be denied. Much like the mysteries of the trinity or soteriology, there is not one proof-text verse or passage that can be pointed at to decide the matter.
That all being said? I’ve written far too much and I’m making myself stop now. This book made me think far more about this topic than I have previously and I’m grateful for such. It can be helpful to read books written from an opposing perspective to one that you yourself hold, and I’m thankful I read this one. Has it changed my mind? Not entirely. Yet, it has made me think differently about several passages in Scripture and also think more about the roles of women in the church. I do believe many churches have wrongly kept women restricted as they restrict that which God has not restricted and I believe a grave disservice has been done to my fellow sisters by putting boundaries up that God has not put in place. And if anything, reading this book has reminded me that this is not a “first-order issue” and I should not think one less of a Christian or child of God if we disagree in this matter. Grateful for this author’s reminding me of his glorious salvation that has been offered to all who believe on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, men and women alike, and the “not yet” that we look towards when we shall all worship our Lord with joyful praise.
37. The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield. A delightful little book of short-stories, I really shouldn’t have enjoyed this one as much as I did. The writing was a bit dated and not exactly the height of English literature. Yet? I think I loved it simply because it is a picture into a time now past. I picked this book up a while ago at a used book shop, I’m pretty sure just because it is a copy from 1922 and I love old books. This one is nice and old and musty and I love it so. Yet the contents? They were better than expected. I honestly did not know this was a book of short stories at first and was very confused when the “chapter” changed and all the characters did too! But these short stories were delightful, even if times there was a bit of a bitter edge to them. The author writes with a tinge of the melancholy and some of these stories made me almost cry. Yet for all that, these stories were about people. They felt ever so human. Even more than a hundred years ago now, with all the dated language and slang, these stories rang true.
38. When We Get It Wrong by Dominic Smart. Reading this one again simply because I wanted to read an encouraging book that would remind me of Christ and his mercies. This book was a refreshment to my soul and it made me smile as I read to consider what it means to be in Christ and how this bears on my everyday life. There are some true gems in this book and quite grateful for how God blessed me in reading such. Oh how wonderous it is to ponder and meditate on God’s love for me and that I am ever always His! I do love how Dominic takes us through the story of Peter’s tragic fall and most surprising redemption and how it is a picture of how God too deals with us his children. This book is a wonderful corrective both to those who think we must continually earn God’s favor and to those who think our Christian lives ought be ones of ease. Surely we wouldn’t say those things out loud but often we live as though we believe such. And so we crumple when we sin and we fall apart when storms blow upon us. Instead ought we go to Christ in simple humility and trust, knowing that our lives here may yet be toilsome and weary, yet we know to whom we belong and we find joy in being children of God, fearing not when trials come and running to Jesus when we fall. In the midst of this turbulent world and our oft-more turbulent thoughts, let us always, always consider Jesus.
Through Peril Shall Ye Find Your Salvation
Just two more this night!
20. The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur. Well been a while since I read this one! I have a long relationship with this book, having first read it I believe in either late high school or early college. Probably early college. And God mightily used it to work in my life and convict me of sin and show me what it meant to follow Jesus. So for that reason alone, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this book, ever so grateful how God used it to draw me closer to him. I read it now and it hits a little different, surely. I am in a much different place and recognize it a bit more for the polemical work it is. It is a bit of an intra-camp discussion with MacArthur gently (and sometimes not so gently!) chiding the so called “free grace” movement and the attacks on what became known as “lordship salvation” with these attacks at time accusing MacArthur and his adherents of preaching another gospel, a gospel of works. MacArthur is very much pointed in this book, addressing one theologian in particular in his attacks on lordship salvation. We are a bit removed from this controversy now and even reading this book reminded me of how Christian history (and even evangelicalism) has very much moved on. Not to say that this book isn’t still needed though! Just be aware that this is a book written in a very particular period of American evangelicalism (even more specifically – American evangelical dispensationalism) and addresses a visible church that faced different issues and sins that it faces now.
Looking past all that, I still think this is a useful read for two reasons. Firstly, as a polemical work, it does demonstrate how it is useful and even necessary at times to confront others in the faith who may be leading others astray away from the true gospel. MacArthur is clear at the end that he is not fond of controversy and there are many more minor issues that he will not engage in debates because of the fact that they are issues far afield from the gospel of Jesus Christ. But MacArthur does feel that this “lordship salvation” issue directly bears on what it means to be a Christian and feels called to confront those who are giving ones false assurance of salvation. Secondly, this book is helpful to me even now as I consider my Christian faith and meditate on what the gospel is. What does it mean that Christ came to earth and called men to follow Him? What does it mean that Christ lived and died and rose again and that a message of death and rebirth has been proclaimed to all who would hear? What does it mean that even now Jesus knocks at the door and calls us to come to him that we may have rest for our souls? And what does the gospel lived out look like? What does it mean for one to be “saved”? Can we be saved to eternal life and our lives then proceed in this world as if nothing has really changed? This book was at times challenging but at times comforting as I considered Jesus. At the end of the day, I am counted as a child of God for nothing that I have done. I confess Christ and my life is reborn in dazzlingly glorious colour and nothing will ever be the same. I am saved to life eternal because of the righteousness of Christ. And in that joy and as I abide in Christ, I cannot help but walk this pilgrim way delighting in the law of God and seeking to be holy before my God. Oh the riches of God’s grace! All glory be to Christ.
21. The Man on the Middle Cross by Alistair Begg. A wonderful little gospel tract. This booklet seems to be doing the rounds this Easter season, with at least two churches that I know of using it in the lead-up to Resurrection Sunday. I grabbed one a few weeks back from the table at the back of church and just this morning read it through. It is short and a quick read and to one who has been a Christian for a while, there is nothing new. Still yet. It is wonderfully encouraging to consider the gospel anew and to read these three stories that Begg retells. He does a beautiful job of re-telling the stories of the Samaritan woman, the forgiven paralytic, and the thief on the cross. This is certainly a book aimed at one that does not know Christ, but one that is possibly (hopefully?) seeking to understand who this Jesus is. I wonder how a non-Christian would find this. I can certainly state that it encouraged me to read it this day. The last story brought tears to my eyes, as I considered the thief at the gates of heaven and pleading naught but the words of Jesus. What a joy it would be to hear those words from Jesus, that promise that I might be WITH HIM in paradise that day. Oh my heart melted considering such. I cannot wait for the day when I too walk through heaven’s gates. I don’t care for any golden streets or harps or such. I simply want to be with my Lord.
Something Weird 