2012 Books

Books!  We love them, don't we?  I've been looking over my favorites for 2012 (I know there's a month left to go, but what are the chances my favorite of the year is yet to come?) and I've picked the best.  Keep in mind that I've read some of the best theology out there this year, like J.I. Packer's Knowing God, Paul Brand's In His Image, Jerry Bridges' Bookends of the Christian Life, even Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (finally!).  I've studied Redemption--Accomplished and Applied, Created in God's Image, The Final Word, and 13 Clues for Miss Marple.  But my absolute favorite of the year is by a young author, Kevin DeYoung, and it's titled The Hole in our Holiness.  

 I don't know about you, but I don't read much about holiness.  Grace, yes; idols, yes; attributes of God, yes; Downton Abbey, yes.  Holiness? No.  

If you haven't read much about being holy as God is holy, here's the place to start.  I challenge you, nay, encourage you, to read it, underline it, even come to a Women's Sunday School class on this amazing book.  Throw it into your Amazon cart today. 

What's been your favorite book this year (so far)?

Fear Mosquitoes

Okay, this has nothing to do with what I'm about to write, but I couldn't resist introducing Oliver Peabody (Opie) to you.  11 pounds of delicious sadness.  Doesn't he remind you of Eeyore?

I'm actually talking about fear today.  This is such a pervasive feeling in our hearts that we don't even recognize it.  How many of you have been afraid that your teen won't make it into the college of their choice, only to be afraid once they do that they will end up in the worldly crowd?  How many have been afraid that a husband won't make it home for supper in time, only to then be afraid that he's not working enough overtime to pay the bills? What a mosquito this fear is.   

Where does this fear come from?  Is our desire to protect our comforts and our children cause enough to not trust God with them?  1 Peter 3, in discussing Sarah's submission to her husband, gives us good words to apply to other areas of our lives as well:  And you are her children, if you do good and do nor fear anything that is frightening (v. 6b).  

And what about this admonition further on (v. 14-15):  But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed.  Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy.   

Surely the cares of this world are troubling, and sometimes conspire to drown us.  But there is an antidote:  the fear of God.  He governs all things.  He can be trusted.  You can let go of your control.  You can actively pursue God's peace by believing that He controls it all.  

Get to know Him better by studying the Word, memorizing and meditating on it.  In fact, read the same good passage daily for a week; oh, the things you will learn!  Begin with Romans 12, or Psalm 103, or 1 Peter 3.  

Repent of your fears every time they threaten to nibble at your heart.  Repent that you are not trusting God with the things that only He can change.  And then commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act (Psalm 37:5).  

Bless the Lord!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

you redeems your life from the pit, 

who crowns you with steadfast love and faithfulness,

who satisfies you with good,

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed;

he made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, 

slow and anger and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love to those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

As a father shows compassion to his children,

so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

For he knows our frame,

He remembers that we are dust.

As for man, 

his days are like grass.

He flourishes like a flower of the field 

for the wind passes over it and it is gone.

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting 

on those who fear him,

and his righteousness to children's children,

to those who keep his covenant

and remember to do his commandments.

The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,

and his kingdom rules over all.

Bless the LORD, O you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his word,

obeying the voice of his word!

Bless the LORD, all his hosts,

his ministers, who do his will!

Bless the LORD, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

(Psalm 103 ESV)

Come to the Wedding

Can you imagine being invited to a wedding (No gifts please), where the food has been lovingly and lavishly prepared by God Himself?  Can you even fathom how exquisite the place settings would be and how beautifully all the food would be presented?  Talk about art and beauty.  Think of the aromas, and the brilliance of the silver place settings, and the heavenly music.  

Can you imagine saying no because you have to milk your cows?  Or work on your business ledger?  Would you rip up the invitation, or worse yet, kill the mailman because of your anger at being invited to such a feast?  

And yet, that is what many of the Jews did who were invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb; they were given first dibs and they responded in anger.  Unfathomable, isn't it?  And so, we Gentiles, "strangers to the covenant of promise" (Ephesians 2:12) have been invited as well.  And not just invited, but freely given the appropriate garments to wear, "robes of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10) so we too might not be cast out.  

And what are these robes of righteousness?  "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Are you appropriately dressed for the feast?  Are you living as though you are so dressed?  Is His righteousness spilling out of you and spreading an aroma of a coming wedding feast?  

Read more of the grand feast in Revelation 19:6-10.  And say with the angel: "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."