partsofspeaking

 I recommend for the day Psalm 13. I am meditating on it.  How long? is repeated four times. How long am I going to feel this sense of isolation from God's love and presence? How long is my enemy going to bedevil me?  I will work on a longer explication of this powerful lament.  To me it poses the difference between emotion and belief.

  https://www.lambsreign.com/blog/saying-goodbye-to-john-macarthur  I think many, many of us would say that in the '80s and '90s MacArthur was a lifeline out of fundamentalism when we wanted more balanced teaching. He helped us immeasurably.  But over time, he wasn't careful. These allegations (which seem proven) are frightful.  He should have been more wise. He started to believe his own press. He got too big. There was too much money involved. He was divisive and less "graceful" toward those with whom he disagreed than the New Testament would expect. He was more about being right than about reconciliation (although there is a fine line there and I understand it.) He was not gracious to women, either.  He should repent and apologize to the universal church. He should seek forgiveness.  I have some of his books--now I read he may not have written them, which as a writer and academic is unconscionable to me. As a pastor, he should be ashamed. 

 Oh, there is so much to say here.  Theologically, ethnically, historically, soteriologically, eschatologically, and culturally--we are not Israel. Let's stop acting like we are.  Theologically: There are three big differences:  1.  We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit corporately and individually.  They were not. 2. We are in the body of Christ, not a nation. We get there despite our ethnicity or physical birth. We are chosen (by God or ourselves or both; take your pick, that's not the point of this article).  3.  Jesus said, "The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against his church." Our relationship to God is covenantal but not the same covenant and not the same terms. We could write books on each of these points--and some have--but let's leave it there. Ethnically and culturally, despite Christian sects that want to have Jewish style weddings or eat kosher, we are not Jews (at least, not as a whole). More "woke" people talk about cultural appropria...

It seems like every month, week, or day is some kind of theme. Not a poet but a lover of poetry here. These are two I have enjoyed recently.  

 I rarely post photos of myself on FB or here, but I adopted this dog yesterday, April 15,  from the Humane Society of Northwest Georgia and want to commemorate it here.  Backstory: I have wanted a dog of my own for a while (I have another but not able to see her) but thought I might be going out of the country and wasn't going to leave a dog for weeks. That fell through, so I started to consider it more. Last Saturday I was at an event where a rep from the Humane Society had dogs for adoption, and Butter was one of them. I fell in love, as much as I can with a dog (I'm not that sentimental about dogs, and he is not my "fur baby.") He was so chill, so quiet, and so good with people. However, I figured he would be adopted in a day or so after that.  Yesterday I filled out the application (rather long, by the way) and went by when the facility was open. I waited to be approved and started the tour, figuring Butter was gone. I looked at maybe 25 dogs or so, and was cata...

 Yesterday's post continued. We live and breathe and have our being in Christ, in the Savior (not a Savior, as there is only one Savior) who balanced perfectly the servant and the conqueror. We are (more than) conquerors because of Him; therefore, we do not have to, or get to, play the conqueror, work at being the conqueror. He has achieved that. The conquering is not yet fully revealed, so now we are the servant until that time.  I am struggling with a decision that hinges on this question--does God want me a servant rather than something else? Yes, He always does, and I am incosistent with the Servant/Savior if otherwise.

Jesus of the Scars   If we have never sought, we seek Thee now; Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars; We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow, We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars. The heavens frighten us; they are too calm; In all the universe we have no place. Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm? Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars, we claim Thy grace. If, when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near, Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine; We know to-day what wounds are, have no fear, Show us Thy Scars, we know the countersign. The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak; They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne; But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak, And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.   Jesus encompasses so much. As "of the scars" He empathizes with us. As Christus Victorius He makes His and our suffering meaningful and purposeful.    https://reknew.org/2018/11/the-christus-victor-view-...