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.

Betrayed by Sleep

There's more betrayal during the Passion Week than just that of Judas and Peter. How about the disciples in the garden of Gethsemane? Remember that one? Jesus took some of his disciples to a secluded spot in the garden. He was sorrowful and troubled and asked them to keep watch with Him. They fell asleep. He woke them up and asked them to pray, specifically telling them to be alert and pray so that they would not fall into temptation. Their response? They fell asleep again. They only woke up when Jesus called out, but by then it was too late to sit with Jesus in the garden. Judas and the soldiers had arrived. Jesus was on his way to the cross.

I suspect many of the times we betray Christ we are more like the group of disciples than we are like Judas or Peter. We don't usually sell Jesus out for money or outright deny that we even know Him. We just fall asleep. We fail to sit with Him. We fail to listen to His specific command to pray. We're just too tired, too distracted, or too lazy.

I've just finished reading Judges. It's so depressing. By the end of the book you read one bizarre story after another--God's people are just wallowing in depravity. But where did it all start? How did God's people go from fording the Jordan and marching on Jericho in the book of Joshua to anarchy, immorality, civil war and rampant idolatry just one book later?

I imagine that it started with laziness, failing to keep alert as the surrounding culture suggested various options for worship and sex, failing to listen to God's specific commands so that eventually doing things like making a silver object to help in your worship of God sounded like a good idea, taking various concubines sounded like an option, etc. From there it was just a short step to worshipping other gods and their silver idols, demanding that visitors to your city be brought out to the village square for gang rape, and advising your countrymen to steal wives for themselves by carrying off unsuspecting young girls from the fields.

There's an interesting story in Judges 17-18 about a man who apparently stole thousands of dollars worth of silver from his mother. When he hears her cursing about the theft he returns it to her and she consecrates a portion to God. This then somehow translates in her mind into making the silver into an idol for his family so they can better worship God. The son takes the idol and installs his own son as a priest in the house. Later he runs into a wandering Levite--actually a grandson of Moses--and makes him into the household priest. Not only is an idol now involved in their worship of God, but also a totally illegal priest since only Aaron's descendants were supposed to be priests and they were supposed to minister in the tabernacle not private houses. Finally, a wandering tribe of Israelites comes along looking for a place to settle since they have failed to claim the area God set out for them in the Promised Land. They ask the pseudo-priest if they should steal a particular piece of land although it is quite obviously not the land they have been given by God. They steal the idol, convince the priest to betray the man he works for and come along with them as a kind of good luck charm, and go off to kill a peaceful and unsuspecting group of people who happen to have some good land.

Now what does all this have to do with us? Well, when I look closely at the story I see a mother who failed to be alert to what God expects vs. what the surrounding culture suggested was appropriate, and thereby actually bought an idol for her son thinking it was a good thing. I see a man who didn't recognize idolatry when he saw it and in turn taught it to his own son. I see a grandson of Moses who should have known better and could have stopped the whole thing but who instead took advantage of it in order to secure himself a job and a place to live. And I see a whole tribe who failed to step up and take hold of the specific area that God had given to them and so found it necessary to steal other people's land and things. I see a lot of aimlessness and confusion in areas where there was complete clarity from God. God clearly said "No idols;" "Only Aaron's descendants as priests;" and "This is your particular piece of land." But the people were not alert. The downward slide had begun. They were, in fact, asleep.

During the Passion Week, I am trying to wake up. Where are the areas that I buy into the culture and give my children things that actually lead them into sin? What are the specific areas that God has given me (in terms of both responsibility and blessing) that I have failed to claim? Am I trying to worship in a way that is off-base or perhaps even a bit idolatrous? How do my actions measure up to the clear command to pray so as not to fall into temptation?

"So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled." 1 Thessalonians 5:6

Reminders of Betrayal

I learned yesterday that in days gone by churches often put weather vanes with roosters on top of their steeples. My church still has one in fact. I thought it was just a quaint country look. But apparently, the rooster was deliberate, meant to remind the congregation to live publicly what they confessed privately. The allusion of course was to the rooster which crowed after Peter denied Christ on the night of His arrest.

Of all the disciples, Peter was the one who had confessed Jesus as the Messiah--at least when the group was alone. He "got it" when the others were just tagging along. Yet when the opportunity came to acknowledge Him publicly, Peter hesitated. Well, actually, he failed and outright denied that he even knew Him. The good news is that Jesus forgave Peter--as He is ready to forgive all of us--and within two months Peter was publicly proclaiming Jesus to thousands of people. He went on to write several books of the Bible. He was the rock upon which Christ built the church.

I imagine that for the rest of his life every time he heard a rooster crow--perhaps as often as every morning--Peter remembered his failure. At first it was probably with a sinking heart, but after awhile maybe the cock's crow became more of an inspiration. Almost a battle cry. Perhaps he thought, "One more day. I've been given one more day to live publicly what I believe privately. One more day to speak out."

Now, I see this reminder of potential betrayal all the time. In fact, I think I have about five roosters in my kitchen alone (not real of course--just decorative). When I see them each morning I'm going to let them remind me that today is an opportunity to live publicly what I have confessed privately.

Peter's betrayal and his dramatic turnaround are not bad things to think about as we head into this Passion Week. And how about on Easter morning--when we gag over all those brightly colored marshmallow chicks? They can serve as a reminder of the potential for betrayal just waiting to grow in all of us and a reminder that with His resurrection power we can actually live up to the opportunities presented to speak His name.

Still Wondering What to Give Up for Lent?

In Christ’s second temptation, Satan took Jesus to the top of the temple telling Him that if He were the Son of God He should toss Himself down. Afterall, God would not let harm come to Him. Jesus refused, saying that Scripture says we should not put God to the test.

Here again, I see something I can give up for Lent. I can give up the habit of throwing myself headlong into plans of my own making and then asking God to help me, to keep me from crashing, to pick up the pieces of a mess I’ve created with my impetuous actions. How often do I do that--proceed happily along my way until I find myself in trouble? Then I suddenly remember to pray. I suddenly remember that I didn’t pray that God would guide me through the circumstance or the decision in the first place. The first time the option of prayer popped into my head was afterwards when I was freefalling.

During Lent, I’m going to ask God if I can follow Him, rather than asking Him to follow me.

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Matthew 4:5-7

Wondering What to Give Up for Lent?

We’ve begun the forty days of Lent, traditionally a time Christians devote to contemplation and repentance. It’s a time to take stock of our lives and root out some problem areas.

Yesterday my pastor related the 40 days Christ spent in the desert at the beginning of his ministry to the days of Lent. If you remember, Christ was tempted or tested in three ways in the desert at the end of those 40 days. All three ways are ways that you and I are tempted and are worth thinking about during the 40 days before we celebrate Easter.

Here’s the first temptation. Christ was fasting and praying. Of course, after 40 days He was hungry. Satan appeared and suggested that Christ turn some stones into bread. Well, why not? What would be so bad about that? Christ created bread later in his ministry--and we know that He was going to eat bread many times in the future. And there’s nothing wrong with eating bread when you are hungry, right? But Christ rejected Satan’s suggestion and said, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." We know He was emphasizing that it is more important to feed on the words of God.

The first temptation was an appeal to immediate gratification of a physical desire, and not necessarily an evil physical desire. Just an immediate gratification at a time that was set aside to pray and fast--to feed on God. Creating bread was a distraction from prayer and fasting, and it was all the more tempting because it appealed to a normal and natural human desire to eat.

What are the natural desires in my life that distract me and allow me to put off feeding on God? In my life, that natural desire tends to be for leisure. I want to open a novel and read the next chapter although I haven’t managed to find time to crack open the Bible today. I want to veg on the couch watching a rather stupid TV program rather than spending time doing something more constructive spiritually. For other people, I imagine the temptation might be to get a bowl of ice cream or chips, surf the internet, just quickly skim through that file for the meeting tomorrow, think about what to cook for dinner. All pretty normal, natural desires, but they can serve to distract and delay from feeding on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God if we just give in to them without thinking about if this is the right time or place to gratify them.

So that’s my challenge for Lent: to take notice of the natural impulses that distract me from feeding on Him and to “give them up” for Lent—or rather, to give them up to God and ask that He help me resist and instead to devote the appropriate time and attention to Himself.


Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

"Therefore...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

What Would Jesus Thank God For?

A night or two before Thanksgiving, the Bible reading plan we follow with our kids at dinner put us in Luke 10. The heading above verse 21 said, “Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving.” Wow. What could be better? I thought to myself, "I can learn what Jesus was thankful for and be thankful for the same things on Thanksgiving."

Here’s the prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike….” Hmmm. I wasn’t sure I totally understood this because Jesus seemed to be thanking God for hiding truth as well as revealing it, but I decided I could heartily join in the second part, remembering to thank God on Thanksgiving for revealing His truths to me. A couple verses later, in Luke 10:23-24, Jesus says to the disciples, “How privileged you are to see what you have seen. I tell you the truth, many prophets and kings have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but they could not.” I thought about this. Abraham, David, Elijah, Moses—they lived their lives never seeing what we have seen—the power and love of God revealed in what Jesus said and did. And in the context in Luke, seventy-two followers of Jesus had just been spreading the word about Him and witnessing His power worked through them. These are privileges I don’t recognize on a daily basis, much less remember to thank God for. I tried to remember these yesterday during all the eating and other distractions.

But something was drawing me back to the passage this morning—maybe the thought that I should write about Jesus’ Thanksgiving prayer here. But how could I write about it with that kind of seemingly weird stuff at the beginning? I was sitting at my desk and I laid my head down on my open Bible and prayed in frustration, “God I don’t really get this. And, in fact, lately it seems like there have been a couple things in your Word I can’t understand fully. I feel like my mind can only get so far and then a dullness sets in.”

It was almost as if the words—on which my forehead was resting--streamed off the page and into my brain. The truth is hidden from those who think themselves clever. It is revealed to the childlike. You goofball.

So now here is my post-Thanksgiving prayer: “Lord, thank you for what you have revealed to me so far. But don’t let me think myself too clever. Give me a childlike mind—ready to absorb more, ready to ask persistent questions, knowing that I don’t know much yet at all—so that more can be revealed to me.”

…Jesus said, "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:23-24.

Faith and Perseverance #2

There’s another thing about the story of Rahab that’s encouraging to me. Rahab gathered her family, told them about the way of salvation and then somehow kept them all there in the safety of her home—or in the safety of the faith since being in her house with red cord displayed was the way they were going to be saved. She had to deal with feeding them and finding places for them to sleep. She had to deal with the inevitable squabbles of family cooped up together. She had to quell their doubts, especially when the Israeli army spent six days marching around outside the city walls only to go silently back to their camp.

How many times did she have to explain why it was important to stay in the house, to drill into their heads that it was dangerous to leave? How many times did she have to explain that God was with the Israeli army although they probably appeared totally ineffectual? Sure, hiding the spies was a courageous act of faith—but continuing to convey her faith to her family in close quarters, persevering day after day, now that was really something amazing.

Thinking about Rahab gives me heart to continue to tell the story of my faith to my kids, to explain to my teenager once again that “it’s dangerous out there,” that there is one way of salvation even though the actions of God’s people may look odd or ineffective right now.

Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prostitute's house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her." So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. Then they burned the whole city and everything in it.... But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho--and she lives among the Israelites to this day. Joshua 6:22-25