Our lives are not in vain

A great post here from Tim Challies:

"...God makes people serviceable to his glory and that he does so in the way he thinks fit. He may let us serve him in our actions or in our suffering. Regardless, as long as God can be glorified in us, then our lives are not in vain and our suffering is not in vain. No situation is useless or hopeless or irredeemable if God uses it to glorify himself."

Read the rest here:
http://www.challies.com/christian-living/we-were-not-made-in-vain

Running the race

I enjoyed this post from Triablogue:

"The Christian pilgrimage is a paradox. At one end, when we begin the race, the journey is intimidating. We have such a long journey ahead of us. So many miles to cover. So many years to travel. And we will pass through so many strange towns and cities, side-streets, crowded freeways, and deserted highways on the way to our hoped-for, longed-for destination. It’s a daunting prospect.

On the other hand, when we begin the race, we’re young and strong. Fresh and vigorous. We have energy to burn. Snappy reflexes. Brimming with optimism. In the very prime of life. There’s so much to do, but we have so much in reserve.

At the other end is the aging runner. He has far less ground to cover. So many miles behind him. So few ahead. His destination is so much closer than when he began. And that’s encouraging.

On the other hand, he’s bone-weary. Every step is effortful. He’s fallen down so many times. Been injured so many times. Where he used to sprint, he limps. He’s hot and dry and breathy. His feet ache. His knees ache. His eyes are bleary.

The remainder of the journey is brief, but it takes more effort to cover less ground. Every hill may be the last, or every hill may be the next to last. He only knows by going.

Some of his fond old companions have gone ahead. Disappeared over the distant hills and ridges. Others fell behind. Dropped out of the race. Settled for a way station.

At that sparse stretch in the race he is far from the verdant valleys of his earthly home, yet he hasn’t arrived at the outskirts of his heavenly destination. There’s no going back, but he can’t skip ahead to the finish line. He’s learned from sad experience that short-cuts take longer. So mile-by-mile and day-by-day he must press ahead, one step at a time. Yet whenever he feels on the verge of collapse, something unexpected keeps him going. A spring rain. A sudden breeze. A cooling stream. Wild blackberries.

Then one morning he gets up, just like any other day, only this day is not just any other day. As he heaves and pants his way up another interminable hill, he catches a glimpse of the heavenly spires, gleaming in the everlasting dawn. And as he rounds the hill, a cloud of witnesses is standing at the finish line to welcome him home."

My response:
I also like to imagine that when we get to the heavenly city there are running trails along the banks of the river that flows from the throne. I can run there, for enjoyment now, on untiring legs. Sometimes, one who runs on nail-pierced feet even joins me for a few miles. Light is everywhere, so there is no shadow. It is the light of glory so there is no need or desire for shade. However, I imagine that it will still be enjoyable to run beneath the boughs of the trees whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Battle Wounds

I am in a desperate battle.  Most of the members of my unit are in captivity to the enemy.  Of those who are free, most are too frightened to do anything about it, or just don't think it is important enough to try.  However, there are some few who, with me, are trying to rescue the captives, to bring the great power of our high command against the strongholds of the enemy. 
Things were actually beginning to shape up.  We have been setting the conditions for a future success.  Then, all of a sudden, my right-hand man in this mission was grievously wounded.  What now?  My heart aches for the pain he is feeling.  My skills in first aid are limited but I do what I can.  I call out for help from high command, and I know it is on its way.  But, full healing will take time.  Meanwhile, the battle still rages.  Will he be able to continue in the fight?  He is going on courageously for now but his capabilities will have to be affected.  It is too early, yet, to know exactly to what extent.
So again, what now?  I can't leave him behind.  We don't do that in my outfit.  And, I need his particular skills for this mission.  Besides, he is my friend.  I will carry him myself if I have to.  We will make it work somehow.  We must.  Our commander has assigned us this mission.  We will press on.  We will be provided assistance and reinforcements when they are needed.  It will not be easy.  Further wounds will likely be suffered; though, I hope none so deep as this one.  With the help of our high command, we will succeed.

Christians Need Spines

Outstanding political commentary here by Doug Wilson...

"I said that the Muslims know what they are doing. What is that exactly? They are exposing the intellectual, theological, and ethical bankruptcy of secularism, and they are doing it on purpose. To answer their challenge, someone as intelligent as Charles Krauthammer is reduced to saying that sacrilege is defined by what lots of people think, true or false, doesn't matter, or where lots of people died, right or wrong, doesn't matter either.

Someone really does need to tell secularist America that her gods are genuinely pathetic. And currently, the Muslims are doing this because the Christians won't. And the Christians who won't do this are not so much in need of a different kind of theology as they are in need of a different kind of spine."

Read the rest here...
http://www.dougwils.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7892:a-different-kind-of-spine&catid=146:mere-christendom

Steak on a Paper Plate

Great analogy and a good, thoughtful post. I hadn't thought of it that way, but it resonates.
http://trevinwax.com/2010/08/17/steak-on-a-paper-plate-a-reflection-on-worship/

Links

A couple of good, convicting posts from Ray Ortlund...
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2010/08/10/the-unbeatitudes/
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2010/08/10/for-the-sake-of-the-liberation-of-others/

Dancing on the edge

This week I read Acts 5 during my devotional reading.  It was a bit convicting to read about the apostles who defied the rulers of their day when they were ordered to preach no longer in the name of Jesus.  The apostles decided to obey God rather than man. 
I, too, am under a gag order of sorts.  As a military officer, especially as a battalion commander, I am prohibited from proselytizing.  According to regulations, I cannot freely preach the gospel in my professional context.  I can make it clear that I am a Christian and I can live according to Biblical principles.  I am fairly safe to answer questions about my faith.  Even my chaplain is not allowed to proselytize except in the context of a religious service for his specific faith group.
Sometimes I struggle with this.  Should I be more forward about sharing the gospel and risk censure, or even losing my leadership position?  Or should I abide by the regulations to protect my position because I can still open about what my beliefs are without actually "preaching" or "witnessing"?  Obviously I am not going to be completely quiet about my faith and I am going to live according to Biblical morals.  But I want to do more and I wonder how much I can get away with, or even how much I should try to get away with. 
For now I have been trying to be content with just being clear where I stand.  I look for opportunities to share more when talk sometimes turns to the spiritual.  It gets tiring dancing around on the edge of regulations.  Maybe that is why I am interested in retiring and going into Christian ministry.

Training

Today my battalion is officially in the pre-deployment training program.  It is still about eight months until we deploy but I have been struck with how much training we need to do and how little time there is to do it.  It has been said that there is a moral imperative in command.  The moral imperative shows up in many aspects of command, but the one I am most aware of right now is the need to properly train my Marines and Sailors to be ready for the rigors of combat.  It is incumbent on me to ensure that they get the training they need to do their job as well as possible - lives may depend on it.  It is a heavy responsibility. 

It brings to mind a similar responsibility - that of pastoral shepherding.  There is a moral imperative for training there too, one that is so often neglected in the church today.  The pastors and elders have a responsibility to train the congregation to get them ready for the rigors of spiritual warfare.  The weapons and equipment are different than in physical combat, but every Christian should be proficient in their use.  The way most churches train their congregations in doctrine, in love and in service is like if the Marine Corps emptied out a few elementary schools and sent the students to Afghanistan.  Shameful!  May God have mercy on us and give us the grace to do better - to train the new believers to properly wear their armor and to skillfully use their swords and shields. 
The battle is joined! To arms!