John Piper | All is Well

Good Stuff; v. 8

November 30, 2015 By Shelly Durkee

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Thanksgiving is over; and the Christmas Season is upon us. My tree is up, my nativities are on display, and Christmas Music is playing pretty much 24/7.

Dear Reader, I hope your Thanksgiving was as beautiful as it was for my crew and I. And, if instead it was a yard year, please know that you are loved deeply by God Emmanuel–the God who is truly with us. I wrote some about that, last night, which you can read Here, if interested.

And, now for this week’s Good Stuff:

From John Piper: Dawning of Indestructible Joy

Last week, I shared with you a Christmas devotional resource from Gordon-Conwell Seminary. This week, I”d love to share with you a resource from John Piper–his book The Dawning of Indestructible Joy. You can download this book as a free resource from DesiringGod.org. It is designed as daily readings to carry you through from 1-Dec till Christmas day, but I sat down and read it pretty much in one setting last year. Piper, as always, challenges us to stretch our thinking beyond the surface to dig at the rich soil of the story of Jesus’ birth.

From 22 Words: The Surprising Final Words of 35 Famous People

Ok, truly I do not know if this is historically accurate or not; however, if it is, it certainly is quite interesting.

From Sovereign Grace: Christmas Music: Prepare Him Room

I like much of what Sovereign Grace produces. But mostly I appreciate the fact that they make their resources widely available to churches and individuals, at incredibly reasonable prices. Last year they produced a Christmas album, and it is still tops in my Christmas rotations. My favorite song on the album is “He Who is Mighty”, which I had the privilege of singing with my girl last Christmas. Whew.

From OpenCulture: Learn to Code with Star Wars

20 days till Star Wars opens, and I assure you that my youngest boy probably knows how many hours that is. The people who occupy this house have Star Wars fever. OpenCulture shared a resource from the folks who brought us MineCraft–it is a beginning coding tutorial that incorporates Star Wars elements. Very nerdy; very cool.

Movies:

It’s time for Christmas Movies! Friday night, we watched It’s a Wonderful Life. Goodness, I love the cheesiness that is that movie. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.” Watch it. WATCH IT. And, if you do–do not see the colorized version. This movie deserves to be seen in all its black and white glory.

Sermons: Hope

This morning, once again, our young pastor preached a tremendous sermon–today, it was on Hope; the focus of the first week of advent. Using the text from Exodus on the birth of Moses, his words caused me to see with renewed passion, the reason why I have hope this Christmas. If you are struggling to sense hope, take 45 minutes and listen. You can find his sermon at this link: Seaford Baptist Church

Books: The Great Christ Comet

We had such an interesting discussion this morning during our Sunday School class time, on the star of Bethlehem. Then tonight, I stumbled across a book on the subject, reviewed at The Gospel Coalition website. The book is too expensive for me to order right now, but I hope to be able to get it eventually.

The “Why” of Healing

February 5, 2015 By Shelly Durkee

God binds up the broken-hearted.

Psalm 147:3 is truth. I know it is. I’ve had a front row seat to Psalm 147:3 in my own life. I’ve lived it. Am living it.

But Why?

What is the purpose behind His caring for our deepest wounds? What is the motive?

Motives are important to me. When I make a decision, I sometimes can agonize longer over my motive behind that decision, then the time that it actually took to make the decision to act. I question people’s motives. No, it’s uglier than that. I judge people’s motives. I try to figure out what the motive is, and then I, in my pride and arrogance, pronounce judgement upon that motive. Maybe that’s a trust thing. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter; it’s just ugly of me no matter how it is sliced. Hiding behind the words “I have difficulty with trust” is a sham. It’s just ugliness.

And, in my ugliness, I have been known to judge God.

Which is so disastrous and fallible and foolish and, above all else, sinful. How could I, who know that God is all things good and just, not trust that His motives are such as well?

But, maybe with God, it is not so much that I am looking for error or for unrighteous motives. I’m not smart, but I’m smart enough to know I will find neither. Scripture is very clear on that. Psalm 145:15-19. 1 John 3:1-3. 1 Peter 2:22. And so much more evidence. He is sinless.

His motives are pure.

But what is His reasoning? Why does He care for our hearts? Is salvation not enough, and our achings and grievings in this world be damned?

Why did Jesus perform miracles–actual, literal, physical and soul miracles–while here on earth? Why raise the little girl from the dead? Why respond in healing compassion and look upon the “sinful woman” who washed His feet? Why did God give peace to the Psalmist’s soul over and over and over again? Was it not enough that He offered forgiveness of sins, and the hope of eternal life? Why was He concerned about their lives in this world, this broken world with its cancer and divorces and abuse and loneliness and diabetes? Why is He concerned when we are discouraged, or fighting deep depression, or battling addiction, or fearful, or worried about finances? Why does He care when the doctor’s report is grim, or when we are abandoned, or when we don’t think we can take another step, or when we are shaken by nightmares?

Why does he bind up the broken-hearted?

The healing of the grief in my life or yours does not produce salvation. It saves, yes. It saves me from endless blank-hole hopelessness that paralyzes and stultifies. O, my soul, how I know that His healing of deep, gruesome soul wounds saves. It saves me to Joy. But it does not produce salvation–eternal salvation. Only Christ crucified generates salvation. 1 Corinthians 1:18 shows that clearly.

But, what He does in your soul, and in my soul, is a daily, here and now manifestation of His grace. And grace is a conduit for salvation.

John Piper explains it infinitely better than I ever could hope to, in this article from 1991:

But even if signs and wonders can’t save the soul, they can, if God pleases, shatter the shell of disinterest; they can shatter the shell of cynicism; they can shatter the shell of false religion. Like every other good witness to the word of grace, they can help the fallen heart to fix its gaze on the gospel where the soul-saving, self-authenticating glory of the Lord shines.

I see myself, so clearly, in those words.

But is the healing of our broken hearts and our grief a sign and wonder?

Yes. A thousand times yes. I can’t explain why, I just know assuredly that they are, because it is a wonder what He has done, and continues to do, with the griefs of my life. And with the griefs of the lives of those that are dear to me, and those that I watch from afar. They are wonders. And, they are signs.

Signs of grace.

We will hurt because “hurt” is a part of this world and a part of our lives. We will grieve–both acutely, in moments of crises, and dully, as an undercurrent. But we will also experience signs and wonders and healing of those grievous things.

I guess, because He loves us.

Savoring the Good Gifts: A Book Review

February 4, 2015 By Shelly Durkee

I understand Christian hedonism. I mostly certainly do not always apply it to my life or implement a true recognition of joy the way that scripture points me to, but intellectually, it makes sense to me.

And, as always, C.S. Lewis’ words resonate:

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and to earnestly hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I suggest that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

I want to enjoy God above all else. I understand the concept of His glory being the chief aim of my life, even though I certainly do not bear that out as I should. But it does leave me wondering about the things of this world and their place.

On the other hand, I can easily slide into both legalism and embrace a complete detachment from this world and all that is in it. I find that just one 1/2 step off the path of my existence, and can just as easily go down that trail as the one I am on. I can slip into a preachy attitude, judging all that this world offers (except my books, somehow those always escape my wrathful eyes) as unnecessary–a new car, new clothes, an “upgrade” of any sort. I’m particularly prone to dismiss things of leisure–a vacation, or an afternoon wandering a trail in a park, or spending an hour listening to quality music.

There is, after all, work to be done.

When I first had a conversation with someone at Crossway Publishing about reviewing Joe Rigney’s The Things of the Earth, I was struck by her comment to me–that reading this book had, literally, made her enjoy more the honey in her tea.

I understand her words better now.

Rigney has done a great service to Christ-follower thought by providing a balance of some sort to the body of work that encompasses the idea of Christian hedonism, first coined by John Piper in his 1986 book: Desiring God. Piper’s words and exposition of scripture there have helped foster a much-needed view of the primacy of joy–joy that is placed solely in God.

But what do we do with the “stuff” that makes up our days? With the sky, a slice of cheesecake, a good work of fiction? With a well-earned paycheck, and a beach-scented candle, and the beach itself? What do we do with the gifts that are our children, our neighbors, our church family? How about an uninterrupted night’s sleep? Surely these come from God as well as the core things such as salvation and forgiveness and justification and sanctification. Is there no place for these “things” in our life?

Rigney says that there is, and that God intends for us to enjoy these things–to savor them, appreciate them, relish in them, with a perspective that wraps these gifts in James 1:17:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change

And, the wonder that is contained in Luke 11, immediately following the Lord’s Prayer. The Father gives good gifts. My Father gives good gifts.

But, what happens when those gifts are taken away? What happens when the good gift of a spouse, or house, or job, or child, or health, is taken?Rigney addresses this, too, in ways that I hadn’t considered before. And he reminds us as he wraps up his thoughts in the last chapter, that all we have is Christ.

All you have is Christ,

whether you have him in all the good gifts that he lavishes on you;
or whether you have him in all the gifts that you gladly receive and then freely give away in the cause of love
or whether you only have him in the loss of everything else that is precious to you.

(emphasis and underlining mine)

JOE RIGNEY. The Things of Earth: Treasuring God by Enjoying His Gifts. Crossway.

I am grateful to have received a review copy of this book from Crossway Publishers

On Reading in 2014: We are Not Alone

December 23, 2014 By Shelly Durkee

2014 is drawing to a close. As I wrap up my reading for the year, I’d like to share with you a few of the books I found worthwhile.

Books and reading are very important to me. Always have been. They’ve been my best friends, my teachers, my source of comfort, my avenue of escape. My “Uncle” C.S. Lewis wrote that “We read to know we are not alone.” Life can be horrible lonely. I think his words are very true.

I can’t say that it has been a tremendous year in the realm of reading; I wish I could. There is no books that I can point to and say “That was life-altering” or “I learned a dump-truck load from those words.” But that doesn’t mean that there weren’t some notable offerings that I have taken much from this year. So, here are my top nine (’cause 10 is too predictable) picks from a year of reading in no particular order):

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

I’ve always wanted to tackle this just for the vain purpose of being able to say I’ve read it. And so, it is completed. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, honestly. I even liked it more than Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. This book was a close companion for several, several weeks. I was grateful for its friendship and sad to see it end.

The Romantic Rationalist: God, Life and Imagination in the Work of C.S. Lewis

I pretty much will read anything I can get my hands on by or about C.S. Lewis. His body of work has had tremendous impact on my mind and soul, second only to Scripture I believe. This compilation of essays by several authors helped address several doctrinal questions I had regarding Lewis’ thoughts. It also has spurred me on to want to read some of his lesser known writings and to dig out my huge books of his letters and sample more of those.

The Wonder Working God by Jared Wilson

This was a gem this year. I have so many questions regarding the miracles of Jesus. What were they? Did they really happen? If so, then why? And what about today? They are just so odd to me. Wilson helped me wade through some of these questions by taking a zoom-lens look at some of the miracles in scripture. I can’t say my questions were answered definitively, but they were settled a bit. I think that this is a book I will return to in the future.

Yawning at Tigers by Drew Dyck

Another one of my favorites this year. The author emphasized the holiness of God alongside the accessibility of God. I was reminded that God is not safe; and that is a good thing. Challenging, reassuring, convicting, settling–this book was all these things for me.

Shame Interrupted by Edward T. Welch

Probably one of the books that I learned the most from this year. Shame is a very powerful thing. It’s pervasive, disruptive, humiliating, debilitating. Welch takes an honest look at shame without shying away from the tough stuff. Not an easy read, at all. But insightful. Like drinking strong, awful tasting medicine that you know will work to make you well.

Best American Short Stories of the Century

I didn’t know if I would enjoy this, but it turned out to be a nice surprise. I haven’t historically read many short stories apart from stuff for school ages ago–I tend to prefer longer works that do much more character development. But these were absolutely tremendous. A broad selection of voices, settings, and events. I’d like to read more anthologies like this one in the future.

Prayer by Timothy Keller

This was fantastic. Prayer is such a strange thing, and Keller acknowledges its “strangeness”. Nonetheless, he provides solid words on this act that I fumble and stumble over nearly every day. Something to keep in my reference library. Practical without reducing prayer to a checklist. In fact, farthest thing from that.

Vanishing Grace by Philip Yancey

This was so incredibly refreshing. I’ll pretty much read anything that Yancey writes, because he is not afraid to ask and to attempt to find answers to so many of the questions I have in my brain. This book was no exception. It helped knock me back out of the tunnel I live in and open my eyes to the world once again. Our Sunday School class has voted to tackle this as a group the first of 2015, and I’m looking forward to some excellent debate.

Lila by Marilynne Robinson

Ok, I said “in no particular order”, but this was tops for me. Robinson’s stuff always is…I wish she wrote more. There are so many themes in her fiction work that strike chords in my soul–ministry life, Iowa, salvation, lost-ness, alone-ness. Good Grief. Top all of that with Robinson’s ability to craft words so masterfully and I drink it in like a sponge. Some in evangelical, reformed circles had issues with this book (John Piper being one of those). I did not (not that my having or not having issues with a book would matter at all to anyone). I thought Robinson nailed it, on so many levels. I believe she is the best fiction writer today.