Great Quote #10

“The nearest place to the gate of heaven is the throne of the heavenly grace. Much alone, and you will have much assurance; little alone with Jesus, your religion will be shallow, polluted with many doubts and fears, and not sparkling with the joy of the Lord. Since the soul-enriching path of prayer is open to the very weakest saint; since no high attainments are required; since you are not bidden to come because you are an advanced saint, but freely invited if you be a saint at all; see to it, dear reader, that you are often in the way of private devotion. Be much on your knees, for so Elijah drew the rain upon famished Israel’s fields.”

- Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, October 18

The "Unnamed" Mary

A stark contrast to awful Jezebel (see earlier post) is the woman mentioned in Matthew 26, Mark 14, and John 12:

"Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, 'Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.' But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, 'Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.' ”

Most scholars believe the unnamed woman in the gospels of Matthew and Mark is the same woman identified as Mary (as in sister to Lazarus and Martha) in John. It is interesting that her name is not important enough in the story to be included in two of the three gospel accounts. In Matthew and Mark she is just an unnamed woman who poured out this ointment onto Jesus and caused the disciples much consternation.

Jesus reminds them that they will always have opportunities to care for the poor, even down to our present day. There were very few opportunities left, though, to care for Jesus himself. The cross was quickly approaching.

Matthew Henry comments:

"The memorial of this woman was to be preserved, not by dedicating a church to her, or keeping an annual feast in honor of her, or preserving a piece of her broken box for a sacred relic; but by mentioning her faith and piety in the preaching of the gospel."

Isn't it much better to be an imitator of this "unknown" woman who displayed her faith and piety toward Jesus, than to have all the notoriety of a Jezebel?

Perfect Peace and Rest

Peace. Does anyone reading this have it? I looked up the definition and here is the first meaning: "Freedom from disturbance; quiet, tranquility; mental calm, serenity."

Yep, just as I thought, I don't have it. I rarely am "at peace." Without a doubt, one of my (many) besetting sins is "anti-peace." I struggle often with disturbances in my mind, a disquieted heart, and an untranquil spirit. But whose fault is this? Surely it is mine, for God has spoken numerous times on this topic and I am just not listening and believing. Ed Welch, in Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest explains it this way:

"Peace is a big deal to God, so you can be sure that he will keep speaking words of truth and encouragement until you 'get it.' Of course, you will finally get it when you see the Prince of Peace face-to-face, but you can bring him honor by knowing peace even before then. We have absolutely no evidence that God ever throws up his hands and says, 'You are driving me crazy! What more can I say?' If he says 'Do not be afraid' hundreds of times (as he does in the Bible), there is no reason to think that he will be silent during your struggles. How strange it would be for God to say, 'Okay, you persuaded me. You aren't my child.' How backwards! He is the One who persuades us."

So why do we resist God's persuasion? Why do we allow our circumstances to determine our peace of mind? Surely his promises are trustworthy, so why do we forget them when anxiety rears its ugly head? I guess the only reasonable explanation for this strange behavior of ours is sin. The remedy seems to be quite simple: trust and obey. While this is easier said than done, I am desirous of bringing honor to God by knowing peace this side of heaven. The unbelieving world is watching; let's do the best thing for ourselves and at the same time glorify the God of peace by receiving His gift now.

"Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest, finding as he promised, perfect peace and rest."

The Story Behind The Song

Perhaps one of the most beloved hymns ever sung is "Rock of Ages" by Augustus Toplady, written in 1762. The story behind the writing of it is quite fascinating. Three facts are presented here, based on a variety of sources.

1. Supposedly, Toplady had been traveling along the road near some cliffs when a storm struck and he dashed into a cave for shelter. He had been fortunate to find this hiding-place so quickly, and while waiting for the storm to pass he began to muse on the idea of the "rock of faith" being a shelter from the "storms of life". The words for a hymn began to form in his mind but, according to the legend that still persists, he had no paper in his pocket to write down the words. Looking down he saw a playing card, considered a sinful thing by the young cleric. Nevertheless, he picked it up and began to write:

Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee.

2. The author of this hymn, who died at the age of 38, was embroiled in a very public disagreement with John Wesley. The controversy concerned salvation. Toplady believed that God was sovereign over all aspects of life, including spiritual renewal, while Wesley focused on man's choice to believe in God as the key to salvation. There is some thought that this hymn tried to make Toplady's case in Verse 2:

All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Finally, though some scholars rightly remember Toplady's life for the theological battles that he fought, the rest of us who sing hymns remember him for this song, and when we sing it we celebrate the truth that only God can save us.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

"I'll Take Women in the Bible for $200, Alex..."

Answer: She is one of the worst women ever to be mentioned in the Bible. Even to this present day, her name refers to wicked, shameless, and immoral women.

Question: Who is Jezebel?

Just yesterday I was reading 1 Kings 21. This story makes me cringe each time I encounter it. It is the history of a particularly ugly incident in the history of Israel. The king at the time was Ahab, a wicked ruler. He introduced the worship of Baal to God's people, hated the prophets sent by God, and allowed himself to be ruled by a wife who was worse than he was. He was also a complaining husband. Ahab looked out his castle window one morning, and decided he would like to have a garden he saw below. He went to the owner and asked to buy it in order to grow vegetables. The owner, Naboth, politely declined, saying that he was not free to sell the property, since it was a family possession. So what did Ahab do? Instead of finding another gardening alternative, he went home and whined to his wife.

"And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him for he had said, 'I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.' And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food."

Jezebel, upon hearing her poor husband's tale of woe, decided to help him out by securing the field herself.

"And Jezebel his wife said to him, 'Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful: I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

And so she did. She accomplished this by lies, slander, false testimony, public humiliation, and the murder of an innocent man. Apparently in those days the king was in his legal right to confiscate the property of executed criminals - and with Naboth out of the way, Ahab was then free to plant carrots and tomatoes.

Jezebel had many other nasty qualities, though she thought of herself as a very spiritual woman. She died a miserable death, and it is recorded with gruesome detail, in 2 Kings 9:30-37. Her legacy lives on, but not in any way that you will want to imitate. She is mentioned in the last book of the Bible (Revelation 2) as just the kind the kind of woman that you don't want to be in your local church. In any case, remember her name. She may come up in a Final Jeopardy round that I may sponsor someday on CandyceLand.

A Disarming Prayer Experience

Last week there was an incredible demonstration of Christ's command to pray for our enemies: "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." (Luke 6:28) A woman in Indianapolis was working behind the counter of a local store. Here is what happened:

Police said (name omitted) jumped behind the counter and pointed a gun at the female clerk, but then became remorseful when she began crying and talking about God. "He, at that time, starts to basically console her," said Indianapolis police Detective Kevin Wethington. Police said the robber told the clerk that he hated to do it, but times are hard and he has a 2-year-old child to support. Surveillance video showed the clerk praying with the robber, who even went so far as to hug the frightened female clerk. "They were actually praying at this point about the decisions that he's making," Wethington said. When the clerk pleaded with the gunman not to shoot her, police said he made a shocking gesture to put her at ease. "He reaches down, hands her the bullet out of his gun," Wethington said. After 30 minutes of conversation with the clerk, the robber grabbed about $20 from the register and the clerk's cell phone before he left, investigators said. He later turned himself in after his mother saw him on tv.

What a testimony. This woman cried out to God in her distress, and He answered her with protection and deliverance from this bizarre experience. My hope is that her prayers for this man will also be effective, and that God will grant this robber further repentance, even if he still suffers the consequences of his actions. He wouldn't be the first thief to find mercy from God. Remember the one next to Jesus on the cross?

Great Quote #9

“What one thing about God in Christ speaks directly into today’s trouble? Just as we don’t change all at once, so we don’t swallow all of truth in one gulp. We are simple people. You can’t remember ten things at once. Invariably, if you could remember just ONE true thing in the moment of trial, you’d be different. Bible “verses” aren’t magic. But God’s words are revelations of God from God for our redemption. When you actually remember God, you do not sin. The only way we ever sin is by suppressing God, by forgetting, by tuning out his voice, switching channels, and listening to other voices. When you actually remember, you actually change. In fact, remembering is the first change.”

- David Powlison (Of First Importance Blog)

Of Vooks and Nooks

You may remember a previous post about vooks, which are electronic books and video combined:

"Imagine reading a book and smelling the roses that are being discussed in the text. Or reading a biography of Mozart and hearing his music in each chapter of the book."

CandyceLand.blogspot.com, October 5, 2009. (OOOH - that was fun - quoting myself! haha)

Anyway, I had to laugh when the big technology news this week was the introduction of the "Nook," the new electronic reader by Barnes and Noble. The publishing world is excited to have a real competitor to the "Kindle," which is Amazon's very successful product. The "Nook" will be available at the end of November, obviously hoping to tap into the Christmas buying season.

SO - I guess that means that vooks can be downloaded on to nooks. What's next? A vook on cooks for your nook? A cook vook on a nook? I certainly would like a look at a cook book vook on a nook.

Oh silly me. :-)

Dull Dogma

Every once in a while I find a quote that makes me want to yell AMEN! The following is one of them. The topic is whether or not the teaching and preaching of Christian doctrine is too boring for our churches today. In an attempt to make church "fun," some worship services glorify experience and emotion to the exclusion of the intellect. Just today during Women's Study one of my dear friends said that for her, it wasn't until she was able to see the logic, reason, and Scriptural proof of sound theology that she was able to truly embrace faith. What is the effect, then, of watering down the faith by discouraging the teaching of good doctrine?

“We are constantly assured that the churches are empty because preachers insist too much upon doctrine — ‘dull dogma,’ as people call it. The fact is the precise opposite. It is the neglect of dogma that makes for dullness. The Christian faith is the most exciting drama that ever staggered the imagination of man — and the dogma is the drama. . . . This is the dogma we find so dull — this terrifying drama which God is the victim and the hero. If this is dull, then what, in Heaven’s name, is worthy to be called exciting? The people who hanged Christ never, to do them justice, accused Him of being a bore — on the contrary; they thought Him too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround Him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certifying Him ‘meek and mild,’ and recommended Him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies.”

~ Dorothy Sayers, quoted by Michael Horton in The Gospel-Driven Life(Grand Rapids, Mi.; Baker Books, 2009), 63-64.

AMEN!

Anniversary Time!

Today is the 15th Anniversary of our family's move to Exeter, NH. Much has happened during that time, some that is commonly called "good" and some that is "bad." I was reflecting on our years here while reading through Psalm 77. The first part of the Psalm seems to speak to our reaction to those very real challenges that we have faced: church split, church fire, denial of our adoption of the 5 Szuroka children, and of course, the worst one of all, the loss of our son.

I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
When I remember God, I moan;

when I meditate, my spirit faints.

You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
I said, "Let me remember my song in the night;
let me mediate in my heart."
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
"Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?"

Sounds pretty grim. But aren't there other facts we should be remembering? Was it only bad things that occurred, to the Magees and to the Israelites who were the first hearers of this Psalm? Here is the rest of the story:

Then I said, "I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High."
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

I will ponder all your work,

And meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
"What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;

you have made known your might among the peoples.

Aaah, yes. The Psalm finishes with a reminder to the Israelites of the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, and the leading of God's people by the hands of Moses and Aaron.

And what about 'our' wilderness experience? By God's grace we have a strong church with the best congregation ever, we are stronger than before in our marriage and in our faith, and we are 15 years closer to heaven. Not so grim anymore.

Who is great like our God? He has indeed made known His might among His people. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Saint Candyce?

Have you heard that I am a saint? Many in our culture would define "saint" as someone who does much good and is rewarded after death with this special title. Or we may think of a "saint" as someone who is exceptionally virtuous, as in, "That woman is such a saint." The actual Greek word translated "saint" in the Bible, hagios, has a different meaning than this common usage. It means "separated unto God." In the Bible, every believer is a saint, set apart to glorify God in all that we do.

So how does this affect us? How do saints behave? In Respectable Sins: Confronting The Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges, the author writes:

"When I was serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy some fifty years ago, there was an expression: 'conduct unbecoming an officer.' That expression covered anything from minor offenses resulting in a reprimand to major ones requiring a court martial. But the expression was more than a description of aberrant behavior; it was a statement that the conduct was inconsistent with that expected of a military officer. The officer so described had failed to live up to his responsibility to act as an officer should act. Perhaps we might do well to adopt a similar expression for believers: 'conduct unbecoming a saint.' Such an expression would pull us up short, wouldn't it? When we gossip or become impatient or get angry, we could remind ourselves that our conduct is unbecoming a saint... We are living inconsistently with our calling."

Do you think of yourself as a saint? If so, the next time you and I are tempted to sin, we would do well to consider our calling and act accordingly.

Great Quote #8

“Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.”

- John Calvin, Commentary on John

The Icing on the Cake

One of the funniest articles I have read in a long time appeared in the New York Times this past week. It was entitled "When the Icing on the Cake Spells Disaster." It was a review of a very popular blog (no, not mine, but thanks for wondering! haha) that devotes itself to posting pictures and stories about cake failures. Some of the examples given in the article just made me laugh.

"Someone who decorates cakes for a living should possess certain skills. Spelling is an important one. For example, success is not quite as sweet when the inscription reads, “Contralulation’s Ronan.” An eye for color helps, too. Piped dark brown swirls are never a good idea on a cake dotted with plastic farm animals. Finally, a few words about customer service: When someone requests that nothing be written on the cake, “NOTHING” should not be written on the cake."

The author of the blog collects these funny mistakes. Her rule about submissions? "She said she receives 50 to 60 Cake Wrecks submissions a day via e-mail, and usually posts between one and five photos each weekday morning. She posts only professionally made cakes (“It’s too easy and mean to go after your Aunt Sally’s cake wreck,” she said) and nothing excessively gory or obscene."

More examples:

1. Happy 3th Birthday, Evan!

2. Best Wishes Suzanne

Underneath that

We will miss you

3. On a Father's Day Cake:

Of all the Dad's out there, you are one of them

4. Someone called and asked if the baker could put Olympic Rings on the cake

The person showed up to icing that said "Olympic Rings"

5. And the picture at the beginning of this post: Congratulations, Heidi (In Spanish)

The moral of the story: If you make a mistake frosting a cake, make sure there isn't a camera present, or your creation might end up an internet sensation!

Runaway Bunnies

I was reading Ed Welch again and came across a great analogy that I want share with you. It is found in Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest. The topic is love - how much we give to others versus how much we receive from others. Should we aim for 50/50, 70/30, 49/51? There definitely is a cost to a lopsided relationship. So the question raised by Welch is this: "Which do we really need more of - to give love or receive it?" Surprisingly, Welch says that Scripture seems to favor an imbalanced relationship:

"Not that we aspire to have our friend or spouse love us less, but that "in humility we consider others better than ourselves." (Phil:2:3) When the kingdom of God is ruling our hearts, we aspire more to serve than be served, honor more than be honored, and love more than be loved. This doesn't mean that we don't care about being loved; it simply means that we always want to outdo others in love. Do we run the risk of a lopsided relationship? Absolutely. That is the relationship we have with God - he always loves first and most. We are the runaway bunnies whose mother always pursues us. Throughout Scripture God is the one who loves more than he is loved. He always makes the first move. He advertises his extravagant affection for us even when we are indifferent or opposed to him."

I think this is right, and so I challenge all of us today to be mommy bunnies and outdo ourselves in love to those around us. Let me know how it works out!

When God Seems Silent

A good friend brought to my attention an intriguing devotional written by Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest. It is based on the John 11:6 Scripture which records the amazing response of Jesus to the news that his good friend Lazarus was dying: "So when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was."

My ESV Study Bible has this as a note: "Jesus allowed his friends to go through the sorrow and hardship of the death and mourning of Lazarus because he loved them and wanted them to witness an amazing demonstration of Jesus' power over death... The Lord does not always answer prayers as expected."

Chambers picks up on this theme in his comments on this same verse:

"Has God trusted you with a silence - a silence that is big with meaning? God's silences are His answers. Think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything analogous to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking for a visible answer?"

I am not sure I even know how to wrap my brain around this concept. It certainly is a reversal of what many Christians believe. Most of us have become accustomed to longing for the "clear" answer that we want from God. But silence from God as a privilege? That certainly is a new thought, but maybe it is consistent with our being still before God, and trusting Him with what He has said in the Scriptures. What are your thoughts? Is silence a precious gift?

If Oswald Chambers is correct, it sure would give hope to so many of us who are still waiting.

The Story Behind The Song

Speaking of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," (yesterday's post), I wanted to investigate (with the help of various sources) the story behind the song. This beautiful hymn was written by Joseph Scriven, born in Dublin in 1820. Tragedy followed him wherever he went. The night before he was to be wed, his beloved accidentally drowned in a local pond. Distraught, he sought to distract himself by traveling, and ended up spending most of his life in Canada. A second fiancee died of pneumonia before they were able to be married. After experiencing these griefs, Scriven devoted the rest of his life to serving the poor and lonely. In an ironic twist, Scriven himself died by drowning.

The hymn was actually written as a poem to his mother who was very sick back in Ireland. A friend who was visiting Scriven noticed the poem and asked who had written it. Scriven replied: "The Lord and I did it between us."

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev'rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev'rything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer:
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
Take it to the Lord in prayer:
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Friendship Gifts

One of the greatest gifts that God gives us is the blessing of friends. I was particularly struck by this reality yesterday. I found myself in the morning surrounded by a multitude of friends in the worship at EPC. In the afternoon, God brought to our home one of Sam's closest friends, along with his parents. In the evening I was alone with my dearest companion here on earth. And throughout the whole day, I was carried along by the grace and love of the best Friend of all.

I don't know how any pastor and his wife could ever feel as tender and loving toward their congregation as Steve and I do. The saints at Exeter Presbyterian Church have cared for us in extraordinary ways over the past two years. We have felt surrounded by such warmth, and we are so appreciative of the love that we see them pour out on us, each other, and the visitors who visit us on Sunday mornings.

It still amazes me how God brings new people into our lives and we know instantly that they could be our new best friends! This is the case with Ann Marie and Walter, who visited us from Staten Island yesterday. If we lived in the same town, I suspect that we would be the closest of companions.

Sam's friend Christian related to us yesterday that in four years of living together as roommates at college, the two of them never had an argument or harsh word with each other. How does that happen without divine intervention?

And then to be blessed with a couple of quiet hours with my soul mate of 29+ years! I am so grateful to God for bringing Steve into my life. What a gracious providence.

So who orchestrates all these friendships? Who sends friends to come alongside us for encouragement and mutual edification (new friend Hal and old friends Bob and Gloria and Mark on Saturday - another story!)? Who cares enough about us to provide us with companions on this long and rocky road to heaven? Believe it or not, it is the One who calls us His friends. How can that be?

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:12-15)

Wow. We who were once enemies of God are now friends with Him. Through the Cross and through the One who is the Word, we have been told how to love and learn and obey and serve. How can we reject such a great gift? What a friend we have in Jesus.

Great Quote #7

"If I ever reach heaven I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there."

John Newton

Foolish Felon

I love reading wacky news stories. Somehow I always gravitate to the "Odd News" on the Yahoo website, or the "Quick Takes" in World Magazine. I found a story in the October 10th issue of World that truly amazed me. I have left out the name of the alleged robber to spare him even more embarrassment...

"The next time ----- wants to burglarize a house, maybe he'll stick to his priorities. Police say the 19-year-old Pennsylvania teen burglarized a nearby Martinsburg, PA, home, rifling through drawers and cabinets before making off with a pair of diamond rings on August 28th. But before leaving the home, police say Parker stopped to check his Facebook profile on his victim's home computer and neglected to log off. Policy easily tracked down the teen and charged him with a felony burglary count."

I must confess to some sympathy with this young man, as I have displayed similar stupidity. NO - I have never committed burglary, but I have stopped to check MY Facebook profile on my brother's computer and then neglected to log off. Chet had lots of fun changing my settings and posting funny status messages on my behalf before I reached home and discovered his crime. What fun he had that day at my expense! :-)

And by the way, I just checked the Facebook page for the burglar named in this article, and his account has been deleted. I wonder if there's a "Facebook for Felons" network?

A Book of Prayers

One of my "jobs" that I sorely neglect from week to week is editing A Book Of Prayers authored by my husband, who shall remain nameless because 'he' would be embarrassed to know I am writing this. So - sshhh. :-)

'He' has written a prayer based on every chapter of the Bible; therefore, there are 1,189 prayers. Lord willing, the hope is that eventually (when I finish my part in the process - I have finished 947/1189) this book will be published. If we go the self-publishing route, we will have to determine a price for which it will be sold on Amazon. At the moment, we're leaning toward "a penny a prayer," or $11.89. Pretty clever, huh?

Anyway, while editing, I started to keep track of my "favorite" prayers - the ones that especially touched my soul. I would like to share one of these with you to give you a taste for what 'he' has written in this book. This one is based on Nehemiah 12:

"Our Father, we are not alone. Thank you for the priesthood of all who believe. We have been given access to the Holy of Holies in Christ. We sing for joy as we worship you even now. You have not left us as orphans. You have given us a testimony, a hope, and a true presence. Thank you for our families and for this assembly of love that you have granted us together in your church. We are not alone. You are with us even now. You will be with us forever. Where you are, you are surely not alone. Hear our praise as we sing to you, joining our voices to those who praise you above. What great music there must be in your presence day by day! What a wonderful celebration is coming when your choir on earth will finally hear the voices of those who sing your praises above. We rejoice in you. We look for the appearing of the Jerusalem that is above. We give of our substance with the great hope of a new day, and we thank you most sincerely for all that you have promised to your people."

Amen.

Talking to Yourself

At the close of last night's Women's Study, I confessed to my friends that I hadn't even begun to write this morning's blog piece. I asked for help with the topic, and I have to say, they were of no help whatsoever! Their only suggestion was to write about which of the two grocery stores in our town I like the best. I do not want to alienate anybody, so I will decline their kind advice. :-)

Instead, I did what I tell everyone to do when in the midst of a dilemma - DO THE NEXT THING. The "next thing," in my case, was to read another devotional from the Paul David Tripp book A Shelter In The Time Of Storm: Meditations on God and Trouble. As is often the case, I am sorely tempted to just write the whole devotional out, since it is SO very good. But alas, space does not allow, so I am forced to just give the highlights...

The most intriguing statement that Tripp makes is this: "No one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do. You are in an unending conversation with yourself. You are talking to yourself all the time, interpreting, organizing, and analyzing what's going on inside of you and around you."

At first this made me laugh, but then it made me think. Hmmm. Maybe this is why I'm such a mess most days. For long periods of time I speak to no one but myself, and I am boring, sinful, fretful, discouraged, angry, and faithless. Tripp points out that we are terrible counselors for ourselves:

"What do you regularly tell yourself about yourself, God, and your circumstances? Do your words to yourself encourage faith, hope, and courage? Or do they stimulate doubt, discouragement, and fear? Do you remind yourself of your need? Do you point yourself, once again, to the beauty and practicality of God's grace? Do you tell yourself to run toward Him in those moments when you feel like running from Him? Would you be comfortable with someone's playing a public recording of the private conversation you have with yourself every day?"

Ouch. That last sentence really hurts. Sounds like we need a better counselor, right? Perhaps someone as described in Isaiah 9:6: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Seeking help from our Wonderful Counselor, reading our Mighty God's words, praying to our Everlasting Father, and submitting to the Prince of Peace sounds much better than listening to my own thoughts. Let me stop thinking like myself and start thinking more like Him.

The Story Behind The Song

I have written earlier about my tendency to cry while singing hymns. Most of the time it occurs because the words and music of a song touch my very soul, reaching down and taking hold of my emotions. Sometimes though, I cry because of the beautiful story behind the writing of these hymns. I have a couple of books that describe the history behind the hymns that we still sing today. One of these is entitled Devotionals From Famous Hymn Stories by Lindsay Terry. Here is the one based on "Blest Be The Tie That Binds," by John Fawcett:

"John Fawcett had been pastor of a small church at Wainsgate, in Yorkshire, England, for seven years. His income was a small salary and his family was growing much too large to be supported by his meager wage. It seemed only practical to move to a church (in 1772) that paid a larger salary. A call came, and it was accepted.

Moving day soon arrived. The men were loading the preacher's furniture and books on the wagons. The last piece was loaded, and everything seemed all set for the journey. Men, women, and children stood around the wagons weeping over the loss of their beloved pastor. Seated on packed cases, the pastor and his wife could not restrain their tears. They and the church members were remembering the times when he had stood with a weeping family from whom the Lord had taken a loved one, or with a young husband anxiously awaiting the arrival of his first-born, or the times when he had taken his Bible and quietly and earnestly shown the way of salvation to a lost one, or perhaps the times when he had preached in the little church and the Holy Spirit had visited them in a special way. All of these things could not be brushed from their minds; nor did they want them to be.

Finally, Mrs. Fawcett turned to her husband and weepingly told him that she did not know how to go. He confessed that he had the same feelings. He gave the order to unload the wagons and to put everything back in it s place. Out of genuine Christian love for those, his people, the preacher stayed and ministered to their needs for fifty years.

The incidents which occurred on the day he almost moved, coupled with the spirit of those kind people at Wainsgate, surely inspired him to write:

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity."

Think about the history of this beautiful song next time you sing it - and thank God that "...the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above." When we worship here on earth we enter into fellowship with those that have gone before us, even John Fawcett and his family. The story behind the writing of it makes the hymn all the more wonderful.

Vooks

I would like to introduce a new word to you: vook. Ever hear of it? A "vook" is a book and video combined. It is the next "new and improved" invention utilizing technology. In an article in last week's New York Times, the author explains exactly what a vook is: "It... intersperses videos throughout electronic text that can be read — and viewed — online or on an iPhone or iPod Touch."

So how would this work? Here is an example the article uses to explain this new technology:

"Jude Deveraux, a popular romance author who has written 36 straightforward text novels, said she loved experimenting with “Promises,” an exclusive vook set on a 19th-century South Carolina plantation in which the integrated videos add snippets of dialogue and atmosphere. Ms. Deveraux said she envisioned new versions of books enhanced by music or even perfume. “I’d like to use all the senses,” she said."

Wow. Imagine reading a book and smelling the roses that are being discussed in the text. Or reading a biography of Mozart and hearing his music in each chapter of the book.

I find it hard to evaluate such an invention. The vook does not sound all that desirable to me, but I've never been one to envision successful gadgets. I suppose that long ago I might have scoffed at the idea of the Bible on CD as well, although I listen to it all the time now while driving.

I still vote for curling up on the couch in front of a fire with a good book, instead of experiencing a vook on nature with computer generated aromas while waiting in the line at the supermarket. :-)

Any thoughts?

Great Quotes #6 and #7

“The gospel gives you psychological freedom to handle the wrong things that you will do. You won’t have to deny, spin, or repress the truth about yourself. These things don’t make it impossible to know who you are.

Only with the support of hearing Jesus say, ‘You are capable of terrible things, but I am absolutely, unconditionally committed to you,’ will you be able to be honest with yourself.”

- Tim Keller, Journal of Biblical Counseling, (Winter 2007)

-------------------------------------

“The essence of the Christian religion consists in this, that the creation of the Father, devastated by sin, is restored in the death of the Son of God, and recreated by the Holy Spirit into the kingdom of God.”

- Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, vol 1

Both of these quotes were cited recently on a blog I enjoy called Of First Importance.

The Making of a New List

If yesterday's list from Elisabeth Elliot's "Several Ways to Make Yourself Miserable" didn't make you miserable, let's try a few more:

6. Stay away from absolutes. It's what's right for you that matters. Be your own person and don't allow yourself to get hung up on what others expect of you.

7. Make sure you get your rights. Never mind other people's. You have your life to live, they have theirs.

8. Don't fall into any compassion traps - the sort of situation where people can walk all over you. If you get too involved in other people's troubles, you may neglect your own.

9. Don't let Bible reading and prayer get in the way of what's really relevant - things like TV and newspapers. Invisible things are eternal. You want to stick with the visible ones - they're where it's at now.

Oh my. She really knows how to hurt a person, huh? Perhaps we need to reflect on the opposite of all of these and make our own new list of "Several Ways to Be Useful in God's Kingdom." Any suggestions for items on that list?

Making a List, Checking it Twice...

I have found that there are two types of people in this world - those that love and use lists, and those that don't. I certainly belong to the former group. I always have lists around - to-do lists for myself, to-do lists for Steve, lists for upcoming projects, lists of people to write to, lists of books to read, etc. I am always appreciative, too, of people who share their lists, and Elisabeth Elliott does just that in Keep A Quiet Heart. She actually has a couple of precious lists in this book, and it was hard to decide which one to share. My decision is to do one now, and in a few weeks, present another. (I must remember to put this on my "future topics for blog" list. I really do have one!)

So here is Part 1 of Elisabeth's "Several Ways to Make Yourself Miserable" list:

1. Count your troubles, name them one by one - at the breakfast table, if anybody will listen, or as soon as possible thereafter.

2. Worry every day about something. Don't let yourself get out of practice. It won't add a cubit to your stature, but it might burn a few calories.

3. Pity yourself. If you do enough of this, nobody else will have to do it for you.

4. Devise clever but decent ways to serve God and mammon. After all, a man's gotta live.

5. Make it your business to find out what the Joneses are buying this year and where they're going. Try to do them at least one better even if you have to take out another loan to do it.

Whew - can she write a good (bad) list? I can't even begin to improve upon these by any comments of my own. I just urge you to consider these, and if you can, take them off your own to-do list. :-)