Reading the Experiences of Other Christians
If in your morning devotions you open God’s word to the book of Judges and find that the strings of your inner instrument are not in tune, it is not blasphemy to excuse yourself for a few moments from the King’s library and turn to a paragraph from one of his unflinchingly faithful, broken-hearted, happy servants. Should we find it surprising that the King should appoint some of his closest friends to be especially good at tuning the strings of our soul so that we may play His music when he puts the bow of his Word on our soul?
excerpt from John Piper's Desiring God blog
I have to admit the above paragraph was a bit high-faluting for me. I had to read it twice just to figure out what it meant. But when I figured it out, it comforted me. What John Piper is saying is that sometimes we need to read something other than the Bible for a few minutes. Blasphemy? No. Just realistic. Sometimes it helps us in our human fraility to read the words of other followers of Christ--to hear what they are going through--how they weathered storms similar to ours. John Piper says Samuel Rutherford's letters from prison do that for him. I'm not sure 400-year-old letters would do that for me. But Back to the Bible's daily email with Elisabeth Eliot excerpts works. So does reading Dallas Willard in small doses.
Writing classes tell me to end now with a call to action. I don't really have a clarion call here--just a thought which might work for you. Find a writer or two whose Christian life you can admire. Subscribe to their blog and read a thought a day or buy one of their books and leave it on the coffee table, dipping into it now and then. A lot of pastors I know seem to find biographies of missionaries and preachers helpful. I have a much dog-earred book of C.S. Lewis quotes. Also a great book called They Found the Secret filled with the stories of Christians who experienced a deeper, more satisfying spiritual life than most of us seem to. John Piper may call this type of reading "tuning your heart strings." I just call it a reality check: lots of great thinkers and writers have lived life day in and day out--mowed the lawn, washed the dishes, buried loved ones--and found God true and all-sufficient. I can too.
posted by Catherine Reid @ 8:50 AM
2 Comments:
You tend to see a lot of personal candor in Christian's blogs which is often missing in a public forum. This is refreshing.
What do you think of brazenness (is that a word) in writing where someone uses the name of God in his/her own work? For instance someone writing a book entitled "A Godly marriage" , "Growing kids Gods way"
I really liked the quote you've added by John Piper. Like you, I had to read it twice!
By the way, I'm hoping you'll continue your blog, now that I've stumbled upon it.
Something I'd like to see you write about is the issue of fear vs trust. I'm really struggling in my life right now with fear... little fears, big fears. I know it all boils down to trusting the Lord, and I do, but some days I find myself being led by my fears and not by my trust in God. Pretty awful, considering I'm a missionary living in foreign country, in a culture that is so unlike what I'm used to, with people I cannot always effectively communicate with. There are a lot of reasons to be afraid here. And there are fears that pop up having to do with family back home... aging parents, for example, and not knowing quite how to help them from a distance.
Well, for all I know, I've written way too much and it'll be chopped off. So I'll close. I'll check back from time to time. I hope you write soon. - Carol
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