I learned a large lesson last night! In light of Memorial Day weekend, our church held a special dinner and service to honor the veterans of our congregation and community. The evening went way beyond anyone’s expectations! And as I reflect upon it, I am convinced it is because they (our veterans) remember - and therefore, we should remember them!
Several things happened that brings me to this conclusion. First, more people attended than was anticipated! Our members and our community came out in a large number despite that it was a Sunday evening and that another community event was being held as well. We had more visitors in our church last night than any other time since I have been pastor. Now why would so many veterans and families attend? They remember!
Second, I had the privilege of presenting each veteran with a framed certificate of appreciation and a small Bible (Seems like such a meager gift in light of what they have given us!) We presented 25 in all! Each veteran stated his name, area and dates of service, and most of them stated their identification number totally from memory! Some would give a brief description of where they served or what they were involved in. One could not hardly speak for crying. His last phrase was “all didn’t make it back.” Every one of them remember!
Third, one of our members, a WWII veteran now in his 90s gave his amazing testimony of survival during the war. His plane was shot down by the Germans. He survived on a raft in the ocean for 7 days without water or food! God preserved them through snow, an underwater minefield, a close encounter with the enemy, and they were rescued just hours before they would have died from thirst and starvation. He remembers!
Our veterans remember the struggles of serving in the forces, the hardships and horrors of war, the sacrifices of their brothers, and the bravery and courage required to face the enemy. They remember every detail of their service. They remember every miracle. They remember every devastation. They remember all that it took to preserve for us all that we enjoy today! They remember!
And so should we! Don’t let our military heroes be neglected or forgotten. We owe them far more than we have shown them! (Again, the little certificate seems so small!) But you know what else I learned last night? They appreciate these small tokens of appreciation! A simple dinner, a simple gift, and a simple church service spoke volumes to these men! Every single one thanked me!!! Just do something that says “thank you,” and it will mean more than you realize!
Remember them all this Memorial Day!
And may this cause us to rejoice in the greatest freedom that was secured for us through our Savior. Galatians 5:1 says It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!
Eldest. By Christopher Paolini. New York: Knopf, 2005.
In light of my previous blog, you may be wondering why in the world I am reading and blogging on a fantasy/fiction book. Is that focused reading? Is that reading deeper? Well . . .
Let me tell you what drew me to this trilogy. Christopher Paolini was homeschooled all of his life. He graduated from high school at age 15 and began work on the first novel in Inheritance Trilogy, Eragon. My interest was immediately peeked because my wife and I have decided to homeschool, and I wanted to see where this 15 year old would take us. Thus far, he has met and exceeded all expectations.
Another reason for reading fantasy fiction is pure brain exercise! It takes incredible imagination and creative ability to produce entire worlds inhabited by fictional creatures and characters and, unbelievably artistic, to create a foreign language(s) spoken by these created inhabitants! When it comes to this aspect of fantasy literature, Paolini is as good as any author in the genre!
From a believer’s perspective, don’t look for outright Christian themes like in Narnia or an undergirding of Christian virtues like in Lord of the Rings. But you will find the needed motifs of hero, villain, courage, hope, despair, loyalty, betrayal, etc.
I did think it interesting that Paolini weaves a struggle between faith in a god or gods and atheism into the storyline. A conversation between Eragon (the hero) and his trainer (Oromis) occurs when Eragon questions Oromis’s beliefs. Oromis explains how believing in no god(s) in actually a better world. He says, “A place where we are responsible for our own actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” (p. 544) The storyline moves on as if this was actually a good argument for atheism! One would only hope the author’s personal views are not being expressed here. If so, hopefully Paolini will soon discover that Christianity does hold people responsible while maintaining a sovereign God who is in control of all things. In addition, where does Oromis determine right from wrong? By collective adherence? Well, then we are back to the old Nazi question - Germany agreed with Hitler because he gave them jobs, but that DID NOT MAKE NAZI GERMANY RIGHT! The standard must be outside of ourselves! And what is so wrong with punishment and reward as motivators for behavior? Isn’t that the way government is supposed to work justly? So there are more than a few problems with Oromis’s reasoning here.
However, I have to say a bit of reality sinks into this when Roran (Eragon’s cousin) finds himself in a kind of foxhole and begins to pray. Paolini writes, “Don’t let me die here, he pleaded, though, whom he addressed he knew not.” (p. 560) At least an appreciation for deep human inclination comes through here! When we are faced with death, we want a god then! A good god. A forgiving god. A saving god.
Well, that God we need is Almighty God of heaven and earth, but the time to cry for Him is now!
Back to the review. It’s a great story as far as a story goes. You will travel dozens of miles in the strangest of places. But it is just a reading for pleasure journey not a faith-building journey.
Reading. It does seem in this age of gaming and entertainment that reading is becoming a pleasure of the past. Although from time to time some literature series gains a lot of attention and a segment of bookworms still remain alive and well, for the most part the rising generation still prefers the movie version rather than the old fashion, hold it in your lap and read it! (Then, of course, there is Kindle. Now one can hold a library in his lap!)
For the Christian though, reading is a matter of spiritual discipline, growth, and enjoyment. Reading good books by good authors on subjects like scriptural/doctrinal understanding, practical application of scriptural truths, exploration of creation and theology, church history, biographies of believing heroes, devotional thoughts, and keen insights into Christian living are nourishment and refreshment to hungry, weary, joyful believers.
I must confess - I have not always thought of reading this way! But I sure wish now that I did! I once thought reading was a worthless pastime. Then - I was born again, and one of the riches I discovered was that treasures and pearls abound for those who read, and read with believing eyes!
It was a hard journey for me to move from a non-reader to an avid reader. Really! It took years! I read through the Bible numerous times before I comprehended anything at all! In addition, due to my lack of reading skills, practice, and comprehension, I was forced to read slow - real slow! I still do! But every once and a while I would find something on the written page that would excite me or enlighten me or encourage me in the things of God, and so I pressed on.
My first goal was to read at least one Christian book each month in addition to reading through the Scripture. This was a tremendous help for me to become a disciplined reader. I just kept reading whether I got it or not. And I found something occurring in me. The more I read for understanding, the more I began to read for affection. I began to love to read, to love books, to love to learn more about God, Scripture, Christ, the Gospel, etc.
My journey of reading that began with my new birth at age 15 continues today at age 36! For those who enjoy reading, they usually follow one of two tracts. Either they will read some books/authors over and over and/or slower and more thoughtfully with the goal of targeting a few areas of thought or they will read quickly through various authors and subjects with the goal of covering vast material and territory. As a result, readers will count their books by the day or week or they will count their books by the month or year.
What I am trying to attain is a happy medium between the two. I want variety because I want exposure to various genres and authors and subjects. Yet at the same time, I want depth. I don’t want to rush doctrine. I want to think and drink deeply. So with that in mind, I am currently following a model of reading that allows variety but is not hurried for the finish and more importantly, I have decided to choose the books that matter! Solid, weighty books that force you to think and force you to grapple with the things that matter. I have decided to spend my reading time with older guys who have meditated long on Scripture, not the new guys who have a flashing thought and feel compelled to publish it and promote it long before they think it through!
Here is where I spend my reading time. Apart from my daily Scripture plan and my daily Spurgeon meeting and my weekly sermon-prep reading, I strive to read one chapter/assignment in three different books 6 days a week.
For 2009, I have committed to two reading plans, which amount to two of my three daily reads. (1) One puritan book each month. This is called The Puritan Challenge, and you can find the list of 12 books at timmybrister.com. Until now I have not read many puritan works, and I have to tell you, I am finding them to be very refreshing, insightful, thorough, and satisfying. (2) This year marks the 500th birthday of John Calvin. It is a shame that many Christians never read Calvin at all because of their predisposition to the theology that bears his name. However, Calvin loved the Lord and he loved the Word of God. In fact, Spurgeon once said that he never preached a text until he found out what Calvin said about it! I heard of some folks that developed a plan to read through Calvin’s Institutes in honor of his 500th birthday, and I decided to join in. I have read sections of the Institutes before, but never straight through all of it. It has been a joy to move through doctrine and history and Scripture with one of the great Reformers.
For my third daily reading, I alternate between a Christian book of my choice and a secular book. I try to find a mixture of history, classics, fiction, biographies, etc. I limit my choices to proven works or at least ones I think worth the time.
This reading schedule has benefited me tremendously. It has exposed the past, the world, and the Scripture to me. I’ve been led to discover. I’ve been led to be reminded. I’ve been led to be refreshed. I’ve been led to deeper waters. It has been a joy.
I encourage you to be a reader as well. No matter what your goal or schedule may be, just make sure you read the books that count! Read with a focus - read deeper!
A Godly Man’s Picture. By Thomas Watson. Carlisle: Banner of Truth. 4th Reprint, 2007.
In reviewing this book, I find it an impossible task. So this review is going to sound much more like an endorsement rather than a review. The reason being is that it has been such a refreshment for me. If I had to describe Godly Man’s Picture in one word, it would be “nourishment.” Outside of Scripture, I have never been more nourished than I was reading this book.
Watson, a great Puritan author who first published this work in 1666, sets forth 24 characteristics of a man of God. When one puts all these traits together, it is then that the picture of a godly man appears.
Reading through these traits were strangely not convicting, but encouraging. I did not find myself downhearted that I lacked these things, but motivated to pursue them! Watson had a beautiful gift to enlighten one as to what he is missing while not beating him over the head but lifting his desires to have the things of God!
In wonderful puritan fashion, Watson thoroughly explains each of these 24 characteristics (the book is 252 pages)! He defines each trait, gives examples from Old and New Testaments, provides everyday illustrations, details what these traits do not mean, how godly men apply them, and why these traits define the godly and not the ungodly. During his descriptions, he pens some of the most stirring one-liners I have ever read! And TONS of them. I don’t know how you approach reading, but when I come across something particularly helpful or encouraging, I will underline or mark that statement. It wasn’t long into this book until I had to set down my pen! I was marking just about EVERY paragraph! That is how incredibly satisfying and enriching this book was to me.
This is why I cannot do much a review - I would have to rewrite the book! I gleaned so much from every point. Let me just list the 24 traits of the godly man.
So what do you think? Are you a godly man?
I strongly commend this work for personal study/devotion and for any men’s group/study.
