Realized it's been a while since I've posted a new picture of the little guy...so here's an Elijah fix to start off your week :)
For 25 years one of my joys has been to write and read an advent poem each Sunday of Advent for the people of Bethlehem. The poems aim to speak truth about God and his ways with man, but they are imaginative reconstructions behind figures of the Bible of what may have been, but probably was not. Historically, my aim is not to create anything that could not have been or that in any way contradicts what the Bible says.
I write them because the effort to say things differently helps me see things more deeply and love God more deeply. And I hope they help you in that same way.
This year he writes about Nicodemus; the first poem in the series was published today. I've attempted to write poetry in strict meter and rhyme only enough to know that it's very, very difficult to do well. Piper has a gift for it. I've read several of his poems, and his poetry, nearly always written in iambic tetrameter, is (in my opinion) very, very good. This long narrative poem about Nicodemus whets my appetite for more--both the Nicodemus poems to come, and the extensive archives of past Advent poems available on the website. As with the sermons, listening is even better than reading.
Leave a comment below with any Advent ideas you want to pass along!
Via Ask Moxie, an important survey for pregnant mamas and women who have given birth in the last six months:
Go help out with the research--you might even win a prize. More importantly, your answers may help other mamas who struggle as their lives are turned upside-down by new babies!Leslie Davis, a researcher at Illinois State University, is doing a study on pre-natal and post-partum depression, and she's trying to tease out the differences in mood disorders (depression vs. anxiety, etc.) so that they can work on more effective plans for treatment.
She needs women to fill out their online survey. You are eligible if you are pregnant and 26 weeks along or more, or if you are between 6 week and 6 months post-partum.
Please, please please, if you are in this category or know people who are, fill out the survey. Forward on the URL to everyone in your childbirth ed class, new moms' group, breastfeeding support group, online support group. Ask the moderator of any online boards you post on if you can post the link there. The more responses the researcher gets, the better info she'll have and the better prevention/diagnosis/treatment we'll be able to offer to pregnant women and new mothers.
The next thing John Piper urges mothers to do (and the last quote from me--I urge you just one more time to listen to this sermon, mamas):
Amen and amen--let it be so, Lord! May Elijah learn from me and from Steve that Christ is our only hope. May he learn to run to Jesus because he sees his mama running to Jesus over and over again, each day.2. Teach the children to look to Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and for the righteousness they need to stand before God.
Over and over again, send them to Jesus. Not to yourself. Not to their "moral resolves." Send them to Jesus: He's your only hope. He's your only righteousness. He's your only forgiveness. He's your only accceptance. If there's one thing the children learn in our families, let them learn that Christ is our only hope.
My parents were in the car with us this afternoon on the way home from a family Thanksgiving gathering, so Grammy and I were in the backseat with Elijah. As we went under an overpass on the highway, we both watched as his eyes got HUGE. We about died laughing, totally thinking it was just a fluke--until he did it again the next time we went under an overpass. Every single time, as the car went dark for a moment, his eyes would get big like this. It was hilarious! Thank goodness I had my camera right there with me to capture a photo...don't you just wonder what in the world he was thinking? Wish I could show you a video--it was so much funnier in person.
So next time you have some extra time to kill, or feel like polishing your vocabulary, check out FreeRice.com. It's especially great for those of you mamas who are often surfing on the computer one-handed :)The rice is paid for by advertisers. This is regular advertising for these companies, but it is also something more. Through their advertising at FreeRice, these companies support both learning (free vocabulary for everyone) and reducing hunger (free rice for the hungry).
The rice is distributed by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The World Food Program is the world’s largest food aid agency, working with over 1,000 other organizations in over 75 countries. In addition to providing food, the World Food Program helps hungry people to become self-reliant so that they escape hunger for good. Wherever possible, the World Food Program buys food locally to support local farmers and the local economy. We encourage you to visit the United Nations World Food Program to learn more about their successful approach to ending hunger.
Schumacher bridges this point on the previous one, saying, "Of course, if you visit the persecuted church there is a possibility that you will suffer. This should not hinder us." He continues:
Far from avoiding suffering, we should join the church in suffering. Hebrews 10:32-34 says that by ministering to the persecuted church, the believers became partners with those so treated.” We also read the example of Moses in Hebrews 11:24: “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”
Instead of being ashamed of them, we are commanded to share in their suffering. "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God" (2 Timothy 1:8). "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:3). "As for you… endure suffering" (2 Timothy 4:5).
I think that these primarily refer to sharing in suffering by living with the same boldness, preaching the same gospel and engaging in the same ministry that brought Paul suffering. But, we also can join them in suffering by denying ourselves certain comforts in order to help those who are suffering: "Contribute to the needs of the saints ... weep with those who weep. ...associate with the lowly" (Romans 12:13,15,16). This is what it means to be one body in Christ. "But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it" (1 Corinthians 12:24-27).
So you can join the persecuted church by living boldly as they do, clinging to the gospel as they do, ministering to those around you no matter what the cost. As the gospel and its claims become increasingly unpopular, you can continue to devote your life to its truth. And you can sacrificially give to meet the needs of the persecuted; you can practice the other suggestions in this series (see below) to relate to them and help bear their burden even from a distance. They are a part of our Body--join them!
Previously in this series:
Response #1: Do Not Be Surprised
Response #2: Remember Them
Response #3: Research Them
Response #4: Pray for Them
Response #5: Have Generous Compassion on Them
Response #6: Encourage Them
Response #7: Visit Them
Piper asks, at the conclusion of his sermon on gospel-centered mothering, "So, mothers, what shall we do?" His first answer:
1. Mothers, get right with God through faith in Jesus Christ as your righteousness.
Settle it, women. Once and for all. You will NEVER measure up to God's standards. Ever! Either Christ will be your righteousness, or you will perish. And when you have settled this with God, and trusted Christ for righteousness, then by that same faith savor him so supremely that you make progress in severing the roots of sin in your life.
Fight the fight of faith as a justified mother, not to become a justified mother. Your children will see the difference.
Again, the full sermon is here. Listen, don't read :)
What's the impression the children are picking up as we teach them? Are they getting the impression that the foundation of their acceptance with God is their good behavior, or is the foundation the perfect behavior and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, received by faith alone? Are they learning to win God’s favor by a righteousness they perform, or by a perfect righteousness performed on their behalf by Jesus Christ?How I pray Elijah will learn from the beginning what I did not learn until my early twenties...that he cannot earn God's acceptance and approval after he is saved any more than he could earn it while he was still dead in sin!
...Let's draw in the issue of sanctification (the obedience which God requires of believers) and ask the question like this: Are the children learning from us that the practical, personal obedience that God requires of believers is the way to become a justified person, or the way a justified person becomes? When you tell a child to do something, and insist on obedience--which you should--are you leading the child to think that his good behavior is the root that grows into justification, or the fruit that flows from justification by faith alone?
Are we helping the children see saving faith both as the way we have Christ’s righteousness as the basis of our acceptance with God, and as the way we have Christ’s power to become like him in daily life? Are we keeping both those things together but in the right order: faith in Christ as the link first to his perfection and pardon, and second as to his purifying power – the one for justification (his perfection and pardon), and the other for sanctification (his purifying power)?
This is a high calling, moms. You must be a theologian to be a mother. You must make some very clear distinctions. You must know how a person is saved. You must know the difference between sanctification and justification, and faith alone and the enabling power of God to obey.
To make it more pointed, mothers – and all those charged with training up the younger ones in the family and the church – are we teaching the Old Testament and the New Testament to make our children wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? Or are we turning the Scriptures into a little collection of morality plays? Do the stories of the Bible point again and again to the need for a Savior, or do they point to the children's need to get their act together morally? Are the children getting the impression under our teaching that Christianity is mainly a list of do’s and don’ts, or mainly a story about how God justifies the ungodly--by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of the blood and righteousness of Christ alone, to the glory of God alone?This quote reminds me of what I love about The Jesus Storybook Bible. As Al Mohler recently said in recommending this book (he shares both my children's Bible endorsements :), "I am concerned that many Bible story books treat the stories as nothing more than disconnected morality tales. Children need to be told about the "big story" of the Bible -- of God's purpose to save His people from their sins through the atonement of Christ. They need to learn to understand the individual stories of the Bible within the big picture and to know that these stories are not disconnected, but part of a pattern of promise and fulfillment."
The thing that most aggravates me about online shopping is getting to the checkout page and seeing a place to enter a coupon code--and not having one. It's like that little box taunts me: "Lookie here, you could be saving money, if only you knew the secret code...neener, neener, neener!"
I've often spent a few minutes frantically googling for a code, to no avail. I thought NaughtyCodes.com looked promising when I first discovered it a couple of years ago, but it's not often been helpful. Generally my search yields only expired codes, and I end up resigned to paying full price.
Not anymore!
RetailMeNot.com is built on the same principles as BugMeNot.com--another useful site I take advantage of occasionally.* When you're completing a purchase and come across one of those tantalizing "enter coupon code" boxes, simply head over to RetailMeNot.com and do a quick search. The site provides up-to-date coupon codes, along with details about the discount and a success rate (after you try the code, you indicate whether it worked for you or not, thus boosting or lowering the code's rating). You can then copy the code you want and paste it into that box.
But wait, there's more! That one simple search for your store will also turn up a sidebar comparing discounts at similar stores, as well as an option for you to enter your email address and be notified of new coupons for the same store.
You can also search differently--if you do your coupon scouting before you are already in the process of purchasing, you can find your preferred shopping website at RetailMeNot.com first, and then click a link that will take you straight to the website with the code activated. Or, you can search by product category and look to see which store has the best coupon code.
Unlike my last two Surfin' Saturdays, I can really vouch for this one. On Tuesday night I was ordering prints from Snapfish and saw that little coupon code box. Aha--an opportunity to test out RetailMeNot! I headed over to the site and whaddaya know? Twenty-five percent off my order with just a few clicks. Niiiice.
So now, you can do your online Christmas shopping and taunt those coupon code boxes right back. And with the money you save, you'll have enough left over to buy a Christmas present for me. ;)
*BugMeNot, for those of you unfamiliar, offers bogus login usernames/passwords you can use on sites that want you to register to read an article--like the NY Times online. Rather than taking the time to create an account with your personal information, and thus get yourself signed up for more spam, you can hop over to BugMeNot.com and find a generic username/password to obtain access. Nifty!
To say this series has been on hiatus would be putting it nicely. The truth is, it's been hopelessly sporadic since the very beginning. The fact that I started it in conjunction with the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church last year, and IDOP 2007 just passed, gives you some idea.
My persecuted church blogging has disappeared altogether since Elijah was born. I've been too absorbed in my own life to give much thought to persecuted Christians. I was embarrassed to realize last week that somehow I completely forgot about IDOP this year--either I never got materials from Voice of the Martyrs, somehow, or I got them long enough ago for them to get buried and forgotten; at any rate, I shamefully missed an opportunity to help my church remember and encourage the persecuted. (I'm hoping to organize something after the first of the year.)
Meanwhile, my brothers and sisters around the world are having babies, too, under much more dire conditions. They're facing trials that make my struggles look easy-peasy--and continuing to follow God faithfully in the midst of it all. So I'm resuming my series, attempting to remind myself not to be so self-absorbed, but to "Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Hebrews 13:3).
7. Visit them.
I always love getting an email or a phone call or a piece of real mail from a faraway friend. What a blessing to know she's thinking of me and to reconnect in some small way! But an even greater blessing is to see her face to face--to hug her, to sit down over coffee and see her facial expressions as she tells me a story, to spend time just being together. And doesn't it mean much more to know someone traveled a long distance to see you--to know they spent time and money and effort because spending time with you was important to them?
I imagine a personal visit from a brother or sister in Christ would bring much the same encouragement to a persecuted Christian. But how could we do this? Doesn't it seem unrealistic, or at the very least unusual?
Yes--that's why I'm going to defer to Eric Schumacher to tell us about this one :)
In 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3, Paul writes, “we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions.” Apparently, letters were not enough. Paul saw it as necessary that suffering Christians receive face-to-face encouragement. So, he sent Timothy to them. That is just one of many occasions where this happens (cf Acts 14:21-22; 2 Corinthians 7:5-7; Philippians 2:19; Colossians 4:7-9; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-10; 2 Timothy 1:4).
I have heard of churches sending members around the world to simply visit persecuted Christians to encourage them. I used to think this was wasteful—we should use our money on unreached people, not on visiting those who have the Scripture and know Christ! I don’t think it is wasteful anymore. I think it is biblical. We ought to be involved in sending people to encourage the persecuted church.
A helpful exhortation from Scripture. Face-to-face encouragement does go even further than a letter. So, can you pack your bags tomorrow and head to China to visit a group of persecuted believers? Not likely. But you can pray about opportunities--and you can at least be involved in doing the sending. Voice of the Martyrs has staff members whose job it is to visit persecuted Christians. Their visits provide information on what the persecuted church needs, and seeing persecuted believers firsthand helps to get their stories out. But it also serves to encourage the persecuted. So by donating to VOM, you can support this vital ministry of encouraging the persecuted church by visiting them.
Previously in this series:
Response #1: Do Not Be Surprised
Response #2: Remember Them
Response #3: Research Them
Response #4: Pray for Them
Response #5: Have Generous Compassion on Them
Response #6: Encourage Them
Our patio is covered in yellow leaves; as I drove out in the country this afternoon, I marveled at the brilliant reds and oranges. I think it's no accident that nature is at its most beautiful when it's dying.
If there's anything I'm learning during this season of new motherhood--or anything I NEED to learn--it's death. Each day as I care for Elijah, I must die--to laziness, to self-centeredness, to comfort and ease and a hundred things. And it's in death to self that I am most beautiful, because it's here that I look most like my Savior--the One who died that I might live.
"And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.'" (John 12:23-25)
*Flickr photo by luzzzelmann
It's not the best picture of Elijah I've ever taken, but this photo marks a photography milestone for me: it's the first one I've taken successfully in my camera's manual mode, selecting the aperture and shutter speed myself. At this point in my amateur photography adventure, I know just enough to be dangerous. I have a long, long way to go.
My camera--a Nikon D50--takes great pictures when everything's fully automatic, just point and shoot. But it has the potential to take fabulous pictures if you fuss with the settings more. The problem is, it also has the potential to take terrible pictures because you're fussing with the settings more. I learned that the hard way on Sunday, when we tried to take some family photos. A friend of ours was shooting for us, but he knew nothing about the camera, so I had pre-adjusted the settings and was tweaking periodically. Unfortunately, since I wasn't behind the camera, I couldn't see the effects of my tweaking, and to my dismay, about half of the photos turned out too blurry to use because the camera adjusted the shutter speed to be too slow. Obviously I'm not the budding expert I'd like to think I am--or would like you to think I am ;)
Like many things in life, I guess it gets worse before it gets better. Though it was incredibly disappointing to see what would have been fantastic pictures ruined because of blur (one of them was wonderful--I would totally blow it up and frame it if it weren't so fuzzy), it sent me back to my manual. There is so much information in that thick book to absorb and apply, and I guess screwing something up will help me remember to do it correctly next time.
I realized that there are some spiritual parallels to be gleaned here. Mark Lauterbach often writes of the folly in being disappointed with yourself. In one post about the thought processes behind pride, he writes:
God is without flaw so I hate anything that shows I have flaws, since I am God. I tend to be a perfectionist. I can't stand for little things to be wrong because they reflect poorly on me. I have a hard time putting my mistakes behind me. This is subtle. I do not desire godliness, I desire freedom from the daily necessity of the cross. I do not want to drink grace as a jet engine drinks fuel. I want to get a one shot for life experience. So, my critique of myself shows up in disappointment and despair – because I become weary of being a sinner. I am self-preoccupied. Disappointment is different than conviction of sin. One is I am disappointed with myself, the other is I have offended my God.
He's right, of course. My photography reflects my life in general. I want to have it all figured out, right now (in part to impress others). But screwing up sends me back to the Book (at least I hope it does) and going back to the Book is good for me. It humbles this proud heart; it reminds me that I am daily dependent on His grace.
"These gifts alone make me wealthier than many people throughout the world. How could I not be content with such blessings?
...I've learned good gifts alone don't bring contentment. Well, maybe for a while, but not for a lifetime. Not even gifts from God. They alone don't satisfy. Plus, gifts can be taken away. What then? Although it's right for me to be thankful for all the gifts God has given me in good health, a loving family, food, and so on, there is something more that I must be most thankful for. Christ Himself. Nothing satisfies like the ultimate gift of Christ, given through His work of salvation. There is nothing else I should be more grateful for, and nothing else that can bring about soul-deep contentment, no matter what the circumstances of life may hurl at me."
Have you filled up your shoeboxes yet?
"Philemon will feel offended if he has understood everything about Christianity except the gospel. In other words, if he understands that right and wrong are absolute, that actions have consequences, and that Christiasn must live exemplary lives, then yes, Philemon will understandably feel offended. But if God's Holy Spirit has ever convicted Philemon of his own sin, then he will not take umbrage."
"Nothing is nearer the heart of the Christian faith than the recognition of our own need to forgive because of our own need for forgiveness in Christ. in this little letter, we see three miniature pictures of what true Christian faith will look like in us. We will be peacemakers, like Paul...We will forgives others, as Philemon should...We will know our need for forgiveness, as Onesimus did."
A couple of weeks ago, I was in the car listening to this old song and glanced in the rearview mirror at a baby, fast asleep. The lyrics struck me profoundly. It is sobering--scary, even--to realize how my decisions no longer affect just me. Of course I know my decisions have affected Steve for quite a while now. But his character is already fully formed--he already has faith in Christ--he won't learn from me how to view the world. The choices I make each day may seem small and insignificant in and of themselves. But cumulatively, they will impact Elijah in a big way. Even more sobering is the thought that my sin, or my faithfulness, can have a ripple effect for generations--not just impacting my son, but his children, and their children.
The choices I made yesterday, a year ago, five years ago have shaped the mother I am today--for better or for worse (too often it's the latter). But I am grateful that these choices are not the final determining factor in the mother I can be. My hope is in the gospel, and the power it has to change this flawed and broken mother.
"He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)
The day I depend on my own strength to make a positive impact on my son is the day my legacy is doomed. But my Savior, whose perfect obedience and sacrificial death purchased my forgiveness and reconciliation with God, also purchased my transformation and gave me His Spirit. He who called me and justified me has promised to glorify me. And that means His grace can provide what I need to be an effective, faithful mother--the kind who leaves a legacy of faithfulness for generations to come.
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to You enough to make a mark on things
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name
Unapologetically...
--Nichole Nordeman, "Legacy"
Doesn't he just look like a little man? I love a baby boy in a button-down shirt :)
"Having been saved by grace, we try to live by works. But the purpose behind what we were given was not to make us feel good about ourselves because we are doing all the right things, it was given to help us realize our desperate condition and our continual need for the grace of God in everyday life. It was given to drive us to our knees and to deepen our relationship with our God as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling."
"...The Big Picture Story Bible and The Jesus Storybook Bible. I think all families should own both of these books: the former gives a good framework for biblical theology (God's people in God's place under God's rule); the latter gives a good understanding of how all of Scripture testifies to Christ."I was blessed to receive The Big Picture Story Bible as a shower gift and The Jesus Storybook Bible shortly after Elijah was born. Both are fantastic. The Big Picture Story Bible is more the type that a child would be able to read by himself sooner, with only one or two simple sentences on each page. As Taylor says, it provides a great bird's-eye-view of the whole Bible.
"Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn't do. ...Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. ...No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne--everything--to rescue the one he loves. ...There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.
It is the perfect complement to the "gospel-centeredness" paradigm shift I've experienced these last few years. And it isn't just for kids--it's helping me see, sometimes for the first time, how the Old Testament stories I learned merely as moral stories about Noah, or David, or Jonah, are really about Jesus.
Besides being wonderfully Christ-centered, the stories are written at a kid's level without talking down to them. It's charmingly funny at times (the Pharisees are called "Extra Super Holy People--at least that's what they thought"). And the illustrations are uniquely beautiful.
"All these people keep waxing sentimental about how fabulously well I am doing as a mother, how competent I am, but I feel inside like when you're first learning to put nail polish on your right hand with your left. You can do it, but it doesn't look all that great around the cuticles."
Now why would he say that? ...Was this church some paragon of godliness?I started excerpting more here, but I can't copy and paste the whole article. Please, please do yourself a favor and go read the whole thing! It is a truly encouraging reflection on the amazing grace of God.
...No, they are no super-saints. How then are they pleasing God?
It is because of the work of Christ. ...He has lived the sinless life that please God. He has offered the atoning sacrifice that removes wrath. God sees them in Christ and they are his sons and daughters. They have been given the Spirit. ...In other words, God no longer sees them in themselves alone. He sees them in Christ.
...Wow, here is my question: ...Would I ever tell an individual I care for that they are pleasing to God? Do I ever go to bed at night with the thought that in that day God was pleased with me in Christ?
Words I'm chewing on this weekend, thanks to Carolyn McCulley:
The full article is here--yet another example of how her wisdom, though directed to singles, is usually applicable to those in every season of life.change your focus. Renew your mind by thinking on what's right and true about God — most specifically, the jaw-dropping mercy you've already received as a forgiven and adopted daughter.
Rejoicing begins when we look at our situation in view of God's mercy and with worship for his manifold perfections. Instead of holy wrath for our sins and disobedience, we've received mercy for our pride and rebellion. A mind conformed to this world always starts with a reference point of Me, Myself, and I. But a mind transformed is one whose reference point is the character of God.
I went crazy with my camera this week--need to learn how to use more of its features, and I have a fun subject to practice with now :) Elijah and I had a big photo shoot yesterday. I practiced implementing advice from Nick Kelsh, author of How to Photograph Your Baby (a great, non-technical "improve your amateur photography" book). He suggests three basic ways to make your photos better:I've still got plenty of room for improvement with my photography, but just doing those three things makes a huge difference! Thought I'd share a couple of my favorite shots. You can see more here.
(For those of you who think he looks like Steve...I wish you were right, but I sure don't see it. These super-closeup photos look SO much like my baby pictures. I'll try to post some of those sometime next week.)
(P.S. - For you photo buffs/pros reading along, feel free to give me some constructive criticism either here or over at Flickr--I could use any tips you want to pass along :)
I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." (v.13)
Being confident of the goodness of the Lord shouldn't be confused with an assumption that because God is good, he'll give me the things that I've set my heart on. In his grace, God is freeing you from the small confines of your little definition of what's good so that you can experience the huge and satisfying good that he's planned for you. Grace welcomes me to experience what is eternally right, true and good. Grace invites me to good that I could never have imagined, deserved, or earned.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is "of first importance" (1 Cor 15:3), but we easily forget. Each day this blog will provide one quote to help you live in the good of the gospel.
“Would I gather arguments for hoping that I shall never be cast away? Where shall I go to find them? Shall I look at my own graces and gifts? Shall I take comfort in my own faith and love, and penitence and zeal, and prayer? Shall I turn to my own heart, and say, ‘This same heart will never be false and cold’?
Oh, no! God forbid! I will look at Calvary and the crucifixion. This is my grand argument: this is my mainstay. I cannot think that He who went through such sufferings to redeem my soul, will let that soul perish after all, when it has once cast itself on Him. Oh, no! What Jesus paid for Jesus will surely keep. He paid dearly for it: He will not let it easily be lost. He died for me when I was yet a dark sinner: He will never forsake me after I have believed. ..."
- J.C. Ryle
With the hat and that pillow as background, doesn't he look like he's about to go on some sort of safari expedition?
"Like an astute coach or a gifted teacher, God prepares his saints for the tasks to which he has appointed them before he uses them. Moses, for example, spent forty years in the desert, herding sheep, before God called him to lead his people out of Egypt. What better preparation in patience could there have been for his assignment of leading an equally stubborn flock of people through wilderness for forty years? Similarly, David learned courage from his own experience as a shepherd. Later the one who had learned how to take on wild animals in the defense of his flock would be called upon to take on the biggest wild animal of all, mighty Goliath, in the defense of God's flock. God knows how to prepare his people for the tasks to which they are assigned" (from Living in the Gap Between Promise and Reality by Iain M. Duiguid).
...my present difficulty is “preparation for a task.” It isn’t simply something to get through. It is a training tool—to conform me to the image of Christ and make me more useful for him.
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