Looking for green pasture...

My dear one, 

I tend to have a "grass-is-greener" mentality regarding marriage, picturing life "on the other side of the fence" as being idyllic, when in reality it is fraught with difficulties I could never imagine. A few weeks ago I heard the stories behind two friends' respective engagements and weddings, and I realized that my slight jealousy regarding their situations was unfounded. Just the other day a colleague explained to me that the first 3 decades of her marriage were very tumultuous. I've known this lady for 14 years and never had any clue! And in the same conversation it was mentioned that another girl, only eight months married, is concerned about something in her marriage. Though that one was not mentioned, I think it might be a friend of mine! Then there's the friend whose brother murdered his wife... I would do well to be content in my singleness, no??? Yet I'm fairly sure that even if my prolonged singleness is for an entire lifetime, I will continue to cry out for that companionship which God designed His creation to need. Sometimes it's hard to keep from shaking my fist at God, complaining that He has withheld the fulfillment while still implanting the longings. But as I learn from the Book of Job - who am I to question God? Who am I to complain about His sovereign decrees? And who am I to think that I deserve marriage when I have an unbreakable union with Christ? Questions that need no answer, indeed...

Do you wrestle with these same thoughts? Perhaps, like me, you're striving to preach to your heart that which your mind already knows. Hard, though, isn't it?

Heidelberg Catechism Week 30

80. Q. How does the Lord's Supper differ from the Roman Catholic Mass? A. The Lord's Supper declares to us that our sins have been completely forgiven through the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ which He Himself finished on the cross once for all. It also declares to us that the Holy Spirit grafts us into Christ, who with His very body is now in heaven at the right hand of the Father where He wants us to worship Him. But the Mass teaches that the living and the dead do not have their sins forgiven through the suffering of Christ unless Christ is still offered for them daily by the priests. It also teaches that Christ is bodily present in the form of bread and wine where Christ is therefore to be worshiped. Thus the Mass is basically nothing but a denial of the one sacrifice and suffering of Jesus Christ and a condemnable idolatry.

81. Q. Who are to come to the Lord's Table? A. Those who are displeased with themselves because of their sins, but who nevertheless trust that their sins are pardoned and that their continuing weakness is covered by the suffering and death of Christ, and who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and to lead a better life. Hypocrites and those who are unrepentant, however, eat and drink judgment on themselves.

82. Q. Are those to be admitted to the Lord's Supper who show by what they say and do that they are unbelieving and ungodly? A. No, that would dishonor God's covenant and bring down God's anger upon the entire congregation. Therefore, according to the instruction of Christ and His apostles, the Christian church is duty-bound to exclude such people, by the official use of the keys of the kingdom, until they reform their lives.

My reflections on the reading from the book...

The Lord's Supper is something the Christian needs, yes - but not as an atonement. Rather, it is a means by which we can regularly declare the truths that our sins have been forgiven, that Christ is interceding for us before the throne, and that the Holy Spirit is working in and through the Church, the Body of Christ, to advance Christ's kingdom.

Excerpts from DeYoung:

Communion is for the weak, but it is not for the hypocrite. Hypocrites are not those who live worse than they profess - that's all of us. Hypocrites are those who cannot see, or are not honest about the gap between their talk and their walk. The Table is for those who hate their sins, not for those who coddle them or excuse them or make no effort to turn from them...

To be fair, Catholic theology does not consider the Eucharist a re-sacrifice of Christ... Official Catholic teaching does not argue that Christ's death must be repeated over and over. Rather, it teaches that in the Eucharist the death of Christ is pulled into the present for us to enjoy sacramentally...

At the very least we can object to: (1) the notion that the finished work of Christ (John 19:30) is somehow atemporal and can be pulled into the present, (2) the belief that the Mass is in any way a sacrifice for sins, and (3) the idea that the elements become the actual body and blood of Christ...

The Lord's Supper is to be celebrated not on an altar, but around a table (1 Cor. 11:20). The only altar we have is the cross (Heb. 13:10; 7:27; 10:10), and the only ongoing sacrifices are the praises on our lips (13:15) and the obedience of our lives (Rom. 12:1). 

Saturday musings

My dear one,

It's a sunny, low-humidity summer Saturday. Having no pressing errands or appointments today, I slept in and then had some late-morning coffee as I read God's Word and spent some good time in prayer. If you were here I would have made you a big breakfast. Somehow it's not the same to cook extensively for oneself... I recently acquired a little set of patio furniture during a deeply discounted clearance sale. After "some assembly required," the set is now sitting out on my east-facing balcony (if such a small space deserves that word). I've found that it's especially nice to sit out there before dawn, when the traffic noise is not yet unbearable. 

My apartment truly feels like home, now that I've been here for about a year. Someday I would love a house with a real front porch and a fireplace, but for now I have all I really need! I'm getting some good sleep in my new double bed, and I love the quilt that my grandmother found for it. Grandma also gave me some electric candles for the front windows, and at nighttime they shine bright and welcoming to the traffic below on one of the town's main thoroughfares. Sometimes when I'm sitting here in my apartment alone, I think back to the question my 3-year-old self asked to my mother, "When can I have my own life?" At that time I wanted independence, freedom to make my own decisions. I don't think I had any idea of the loneliness "my own life" brings. Would I have cherished my time with my family more if I had known that I would likely never have one of my own?

Nothing gives a bird's-eye view of God's Word like an intensely fast-paced reading plan. When I was reading the book of Job during my current 90-day plan, it struck me how often we Christians get stuck in the same mindset as Job's friends. We utter the same self-righteous platitudes, and our hearts make the same judgments. O for the perspective of the end of the book, the perspective that Job attained after God spoke, leaving Job speechless...

Viewing God as unkind, austere, aloof to the cares of my heart, is a sin. John Owen puts it so well: "Satan claps his hands (if I may so say) when he can take up the soul with such thoughts of God... Is not this soul-deceit from Satan? Was it not his design from the beginning to inject such thoughts of God? ... It is exceeding grievous to the Spirit of God to be so slandered in the hearts of those whom He dearly loves... Assure yourself then, there is nothing more acceptable unto the Father than for us to keep up our hearts unto Him as the eternal fountain of all that rich grave which flows out to sinners in the blood of Jesus."

May the Lord guard you and guide you, my dear one. My heart reaches out to you today, hoping you are finding joy, peace, and strength in the Lord - for this is what I pray for myself and for you!

--Your Evenstar

Psalm 44

Verses 1-8...
O God, we have heard with our ears, 

     our fathers have told us, 

what deeds you performed in their days, 

     in the days of old: 

you with your own hand drove out the nations, 

     but them you planted; 

you afflicted the peoples, 

     but them you set free; 

for not by their own sword did they win the land, 

     nor did their own arm save them, 

but your right hand and your arm, 

     and the light of your face, 

     for you delighted in them. 

You are my King, O God; 

     ordain salvation for Jacob! 

Through you we push down our foes; 

     through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. 

For not in my bow do I trust, 

     nor can my sword save me. 

But you have saved us from our foes 

     and have put to shame those who hate us. 

In God we have boasted continually, 

     and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

From Spurgeon's Treasury of David...

Verses 1-3: The Lord's mighty works for Israel are rehearsed.

The Lord's delight in His people, His peculiar affection, His distinguishing regard—this is the mainspring which moves every wheel of a gracious providence. Israel was a chosen nation, hence their victories and the scattering of their foes; believers are an elect people, hence their spiritual blessings and conquests. There was nothing in the people themselves to secure them success, the Lord's favour alone did it, and it is ever so in our case, our hope of final glory must not rest on anything in ourselves, but on the free and sovereign favour of the Lord of Hosts.

Verses 4-8: In remembrance of those mighty works, faith in the Lord is expressed.

If there were no new acts of love, yet ought the Lord to be praised for what He has done for His people. High let the song be lifted up as we bring to remembrance the eternal love which chose us, predestinated us to be sons, redeemed us with a price, and then enriched us with all the fulness of God.

Ideal or idol?

I went away this past weekend, enjoyed the porch seen in the photo above, and had very encouraging conversations with the dear friends who hosted me. I don't think there is another family in the world as wonderful as this one. But now my emotions are in quite a disarray. Observing this family causes my expectations for a "special someone" to be even higher, because I see such godly qualities in this family. But also heightened are my doubts that I will ever be pursued by someone meeting these expectations. Someone godly, established in a good job, highly respected by all who know him, sensitive and caring, well-read and eloquent, musical... Yet I write letters as if he does exist?! 

I'm realizing afresh that the "hope of the ideal man" is truly an idol of the heart. I must continually cast down this idol from the place in my heart it keeps erecting itself. I cannot in good conscience pray that God would grant me this desire, because a part of me doubts that this is even in His divine plan for my life. I must simply pray, "Lord, not my will, but Thine. Thou knowest my heart's cry. But as a loving Father Thou hast told me I must be still, be quiet, and trust that Thy ways are best." And yes, I weep through that prayer. 

But God can use this sorrow and loneliness to minister to others. As my hopes for marriage diminish, my list of ministry goals increases...

Psalm 45

Verses 10-11, 13-15...
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: 

     forget your people and your father's house,
          and the king will desire your beauty. 

Since he is your lord, bow to him.
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. 

     In many-colored robes she is led to the king, 

          with her virgin companions following behind her. 

With joy and gladness they are led along 

     as they enter the palace of the king.

This psalm is written as a royal wedding hymn for a king in David's line, with definite messianic overtones. These verses from the middle of the psalm turn to sing of the bride.

Though I might ache much over the fact that I may never be the bride of anyone here on earth, I am a member of the Bride of Christ - the Church. And as such I have been chosen, pursued, and protected by the King of Kings. What better cause for joy and gladness?

The bride eyes not her garment,

But her dear bridegroom's face;

I will not gaze at glory,

But on my King of grace:

Not at the crown He giveth,

But on His pierced hand:

The Lamb is all the glory 

Of Immanuel's land.

(Anne R. Cousin)

Heidelberg Catechism Week 29

78. Q. Are the bread and wine changed into the real body and blood of Christ? A. No. Just as the water of baptism is not changed into Christ's blood and does not itself wash away sins but is simply God's sign and assurance,  so too the bread of the Lord's Supper is not changed into the actual body of Christ even though it is called the body of Christ in keeping with the nature and language of sacraments.

79. Q. Why then does Christ call the bread His body and the cup His blood, or the new covenant in His blood, and Paul use the words, a sharing in Christ's body and blood? A. Christ has good reason for these words. He wants to teach us that as bread and wine nourish our temporal life, so too His crucified body and poured-out blood truly nourish our souls for eternal life. But more important, He wants to assure us, by this visible sign and pledge, that we, through the Holy Spirit's work, share in His true body and blood as surely as our mouths receive these holy signs in His remembrance, and that all of His suffering and obedience are as definitely ours as if we personally had suffered and paid for our sins.

My reflections on the reading from the book...

DeYoung outlines the different theological views of the Lord's Supper: Roman Catholic "transubstantiation," Martin Luther's "consubstantiation," Ulrich Zwingli's "feast of remembrance," and John Calvin's "feast of remembrance and communion." Calvin's view is that which is represented in the Heidelberg Catechism.

Memorial: We remember Christ's sacrifice and proclaim His death.
Communion: We participate in, have fellowship with, the body and blood of Christ. We participate in the benefits of Christ's death.

It took me a while to figure out what exactly it was that made the Lord's Supper a more special, treasured time when I first began attending a Reformed church. Instead of merely the "this do in remembrance," it was treated like communion. One of the hymns we sing often at my church expresses the sweetness of this time:

Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face;

Here would I touch and handle things unseen,

Here grasp with firmer hand th'eternal grace,

And all my weariness upon Thee lean.

Here would I feed upon the bread of God,

Here drink with Thee the royal wine of heav'n;

Here would I lay aside each earthly load,

Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.

Mine is the sin, but Thine the righteousness;

Mine is the guilt, but Thine the cleansing blood!

Here is my robe, my refuge and my peace—

Thy blood, Thy righteousness, O Lord my God.

Too soon we rise; the symbols disappear;

The feast, though not the love, is past and gone;

The bread and wine remove, but Thou art here,

Nearer than ever, still my Shield and Sun.

I have no help but Thine; nor do I need

Another arm save Thine to lean upon;

It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;

My strength is in Thy might, Thy might alone.

Feast after feast thus comes and passes by,

Yet, passing, points to the glad feast above,

Giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,

The Lamb's great bridal feast of bliss and love.

(Horatius Bonar)

Quick thoughts on a July morning

My dear one, 

I am back home, after a good visit with my family in Florida. Though they live far from either coast, we had time the day before my return flight for a brief jaunt to the Gulf Coast. I had dug up some information about a little island with a lighthouse, so we drove out to see it despite an impending storm. There was no one else around - it was so peaceful! I'm sure the island is hopping when the snowbirds are in town, but on our lazy Friday afternoon excursion, the calm was wonderful...

Last night I ventured out alone to a Shakespeare production by some theatrically-gifted colleagues. Very well done, and immensely enjoyable! I found myself seated next to a 9th-grader attending drama camp. She had an outgoing personality and we chatted during intermission. She has already made plans to study physical therapy in college.

I'll be traveling again this coming weekend to see some friends in a neighboring state. They have a country home with a lovely porch and I can't wait to sit in the swing and listen to the peaceful quiet.

What is on your mind these days, dear one? Perhaps, like me, you are planning for the fall. Perhaps you have difficult decisions to make, or hard hours of work to put in, or prayer burdens that weigh you down. May the Lord grant you wisdom, strength, and peace.

Psalm 46

Verses 1-3, 10a...
God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
    though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling... 

Be still, and know that I am God. 

Psalm 46 is known as the text on which Martin Luther based his mighty "Ein' Feste Burg." But another adaptation has been close to my heart recently. I look to the Lord for strength as I fight for joy amidst the storms of doubt, loneliness, and fear. 

This quote from Matthew Henry's commentary on Nehemiah 8:10 is a powerful reminder:

The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies and put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks.

Heidelberg Catechism Week 28

75. Q. How does the Lord's Supper remind you and assure you that you share in Christ's one sacrifice on the cross and in all His gifts? A. In this way: Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat this broken bread and to drink this cup. With this command He gave this promise: First, as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup given to me, so surely His body was offered and broken for me and His blood poured out for me on the cross. Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the one who serves, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, given me as sure signs of Christ's body and blood, so surely He nourishes and refreshes my soul for eternal life with His crucified body and poured-out-blood.

76. Q. What does it mean to eat the crucified body of Christ and to drink His poured-out blood? A. It means to accept with a believing heart the entire suffering and death of Christ and by believing to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But it means more. Through the Holy Spirit, who lives both in Christ and in us, we are united more and more to Christ's blessed body. And so, although He is in heaven and we are on earth, we are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. And we forever live on and are governed by one Spirit, as members of our body are by one soul.

77. Q. Where does Christ promise to nourish and refresh believers with His body and blood as surely as they eat this broken bread and drink this cup? A. In the institution of the Lord's Supper: "The Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took a loaf of bread, and when He had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is My body that is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). This promise is repeated by Paul in these words: "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

My reflections on the reading from the book...

DeYoung sums it up better than I can:

The Lord knows our faith is weak. That's why He's given us sacraments to see, taste, and touch. As surely as you can see the bread and cup, so surely does God love you through Christ. As surely as you chew the food and drain the drink, so surely has Christ died for you. Here at the Table, the faith becomes sight. The simple bread and cup give assurance that Christ came for you, Christ died for you, Christ is coming again for you. Whenever we eat the bread and drink from the cup, we not only re-proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again (1 Cor. 11:26), we re-convince ourselves of God's provision on the cross.

How do we describe who we really are?

My dear one, 

I have more time on my hands than I know what to do with here on this "vacation." It's too hot to do much outside, so I've been spending a lot of time reading, listening to sermons, helping my grandmother clean the house, and talking theology with my dad. And as is always the case when my schedule is lighter and my hands idle, I find my mind drifting off to wonder about you...

Two different friends have asked me recently if I have ever considered online dating. I've commented in a previous letter that I have some serious reservations about it. I know that much of the stigma is a thing of the past, but I guess I'm just too much of a traditionalist. I want our story to be more beautiful than that.

If you were a member of one of those online dating sites, how would your profile describe you? Certainly not the typical "laid-back, fun-loving, outgoing sports enthusiast who likes movies, basketball, and PlayStation 2." I try not to have expectations that are too high, but I like to imagine what you might be like. You must first and foremost be a strong Christian, with high standards and purity of lifestyle. Hopefully you have a job by now. And I'd want to make sure you don't spend money like it grows on trees. You'd better know a thing or two about music! Bonus points if you're an accomplished pianist. I'd imagine you well-read, articulate, selfless, creative, and hard-working. Do I have preferences about looks? Hmm... No extreme comb-over, please. Facial hair is okay, as long as it's well-kept (e.g., no "neck-beard"). And don't even consider biting your fingernails. I wish I knew what aftershave or cologne you wear. If I did, I'd buy a bottle just to imagine you!

I'm not sure what information I would include about myself. I don't know how much I would want random people knowing about me. (Can you tell I'm a rather private person?) But, my dear one, when you meet me you will quickly discover the following about me...

I am a sinner saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. I am an "old soul," a romantic, a minimalist, an introvert, a musician, a teacher. I know that I can be overly analytical, critical, and intense, but I am also sensitive, organized, feminine, and domestic. I don't go for the typical shallow pursuits of tanning, shoe shopping, and taking "selfies," preferring instead tea and books and museums. I don't like drawing attention to myself in public, which doesn't quite fit with my career. I enjoy serving others but then need to shut the door to the world at the end of the day for time to re-charge.

I don't drink alcohol. Not because there is something inherently evil in a glass of wine. Or because any church or mentor declares it immoral. Rather, because I am afraid of being mastered by it, because I do not want to be a stumbling-block to others, and because I don't know yet what your feelings are on the issue.

I don't have pierced ears. To my parents' generation, it was viewed as "unnecessarily worldly." And though I personally do not find anything wrong with it, and have even wished on occasion that I had earrings to wear, I have refrained from any piercings thus far. I've contented myself with the thought that if I ever meet a nice young man who wants to buy me something small and sparkly to adorn my ears, I will gladly endure ear-piercing for him.

If I'm not listening to music in my car (which I always am!), chances are that I'm tuned to NPR. But my political ideals run quite a bit to the right of such mainstream media. I perk up a bit when I read of men like Benjamin Carson and Rand Paul who actually have some decent ideas about how a country can survive.

I try to be frugal, I stick to a budget. I wasn't raised with a silver spoon in my mouth, so I'm rather content to live on the adequate "Christian worker" salary I have at the moment.

So, what do you think? Could I be your type? Could you be mine?

Your Evenstar

A Christian's Daily Prayer

Grant Thou me strength to do 
With ready heart and willing 
Whate'er Thou shalt command, 
My calling here fulfilling; 
To do it when I ought, 
With all my might, and bless 
The work I thus have wrought, 
For Thou must give success. 

If dangers gather round, 
Still keep me calm and fearless; 
Help me to bear the cross 
When life is dark and cheerless; 
To overcome my foe 
With words and actions kind; 
When counsel I would know 
Good counsel let me find. 

(Johann Heermann)

Warning: randomness ahead

My dear one,

For some strange reason I dreamed last night about coloring with crayons. I remember as if it were yesterday the childhood excitement of opening a new box of crayons. Lined up like soldiers, they stood there uniformed and alert in the box, awaiting my artistic whims. But then I would never want to spoil the perfect point of the crayon itself! Ha!

It mystifies me how some can host informal gatherings that many mutual church friends attend, when I never seem to hear of such events until the photos appear on Facebook. What would I need to change about myself to be considered welcome at such gatherings? Oh well, I'm likely not missing out on much... But what truly does sadden me is when a friend says constantly, "We really need to get together and do something soon," never with any follow-through despite my efforts. Dear God, enable me to be a faithful, reliable friend.

I pray that the Lord would bring someone into my life who will be a wise and strong leader. Someone with firm convictions and godly priorities. And I need someone who will tell me how I can please him. Those within my family, my dad especially, tend towards quiet resignation, never bothering to tell me how I can assist, encourage, uplift.

I finished the Lord of the Rings trilogy over the weekend. Enchanting... I now want to use "Evenstar" as a pseudonym - too presumptuous? It struck me as fitting for several reasons.

I don't agree with our culture's view that 20 is too young to marry. How wrong it is for our society to prolong adolescence and cater to the immaturity of today's young people. It is sad to see responsibility avoided like the plague and selfishness touted as a fundamental right! I have a friend who did marry at approximately 20, and now has five children. She is my age. Oh how I wish the God had ordained that life of young motherhood for me!

It would be splendid if my next car could have a sunroof. But then, what is a moonroof? Maybe I need to look up the distinction... Anyway, I want to let the light in.
 
Communication is vital in any relationship. There must be no secrets I keep from you, except for perhaps the surprise gifts I would wish to delight you. I want to you earn, keep, and never lose, my trust!

I walked through the neighborhood on this balmy Florida evening. The air is thick here, far away from either coast, and I listened to the music of the tree frogs and caught a whiff of some intoxicating floral fragrance. But nothing beats the scent of the orange blossoms during Florida's "springtime." I wonder where you live, my dear one. Here in Florida, perhaps? Or back near my current home? Or what about the beautiful coast of New England, where I've always dreamed of living? Maybe you're in a part of the country I've never seen. You'll have to explore with me! I'd love to go whitewater rafting, or learn to ski, or take a long drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Let's go hiking and camping someday! I did a lot of tenting with my family when I was young. I'd love to revisit some of those spots with you, if you ever come along...

I know several girls who have had their "dream ring" picked out for their engagement before they even meet their special someone. I can't bring myself to do that. The hope of finding you is fragile enough! I don't need to bog myself down with unrealistic expectations for rocks and precious metals! The only thing I have bothered to consider is the "blood diamond" issue. Sweetheart, let's look at other options. 

I want to send you songs I like and know that you will listen to them. I feel as though music is an extension of my soul, and through it you will come to get to know who I am. 

I hope you don't think of me as shallow when I am slower than others to contribute to a conversation. I'm still thinking of the right thing to say! This is one "curse" of introversion, I suppose. But give me a topic I'm passionate about, and you'd never guess I prefer to be the quiet one.

 

I may not know everything about your work, but it will intrigue me because it is yours. I may not understand the words you write, but I will ask to read them regardless, my heart swelling with pride at your competence in your field. 

 

All my love, 

Me (your Evenstar...)

Psalm 47

Verses 6-8...
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with a psalm!
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.

Spurgeon: "Unmoved He occupies an undisputed throne, whose decrees, acts, and commands are holiness itself... He sits in serenity, for He knows His own power, and sees that His purposes will not miscarry. Here is reason enough for holy song."

Amen!

Music inspiring and sublime

My dear one, 

I recently took part in a concert that may very well be the most sublime musical experience I will ever enjoy. The comments from the composer (a friend and former colleague), outlining the inspiration for and message of his composition, drew my mind yet again to an all-important truth, something that is indeed poignant for me as a Christian musician:

As magnificently as the starry heavens and beautiful earth point to the majesty of their all-powerful Creator, only humankind is made in God's image and thus has the greatest responsibility of displaying God's glory. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism so succinctly phrases it, "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever."

But we are still sinful being who daily fall and rebel and hurt and sorrow and die. So we look to Christ who alone can grant eternal rest, and by God's Holy Spirit we gladly respond to His call, "Come to Me, all ye who labor and are heavy-laden."

On a side note, if music this side of heaven can be so "celestial," well then, I can hardly begin to imagine what that grand doxological music of our eternal peace will be!

Soli Deo Gloria!

[I would happily post a link to this music were it not for the fact that the identification of the composer could be the undoing of my intentional anonymity on this webpage.]

Heidelberg Catechism Week 27

72. Q. Does this outward washing with water itself wash away sins? A. No, only Jesus Christ's blood and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins.

73. Q. Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism the washing of rebirth and the washing away of sins? A. God has good reason for these words. He wants to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ wash away our sins just as water washes away dirt from our bodies. But more important, He wants to assure us, by this divine pledge and sign, that the washing away of our sins spiritually is as real as physical washing with water.

74. Q. Should infants, too, be baptized? A. Yes. Infants as well as adults are in God's covenant and are His people. They, no less than adults, are promised the forgiveness of sin through Christ's blood and the Holy Spirit who produces faith. Therefore, by baptism, the mark of the covenant, infants should be received into the Christian church and should be distinguished from the children of unbelievers. This was done in the Old Testament by circumcision, which was replaced in the New Testament by baptism.

My reflections on the reading from the book...

DeYoung states, "We baptize infants because they are covenant children and should receive the sign of the covenant." I understand and respect the view taken by DeYoung and other Reformed theologians who include "covenant children" in the sacrament of baptism. In their practice of paedobaptism, they do not attempt to claim anything magical about the act, in contrast to the Catholic view that the water saves the child. The Reformed view of paedobaptism does not maintain that the water does washes away original sin. 

But at this point of my theological understanding, I remain a credobaptist - the view that baptism is reserved for those who profess faith in Christ. The London Baptist Confession (1689) understands baptism as being reserved for "those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ." This position sees baptism as "a sign of [the believer's] fellowship with Him, in His death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into Him; of remission of sins; and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life."

My church, Reformed in doctrine and Presbyterian in government, allows its individual members the liberty of holding to either of these orthodox views. "We admit into our fellowship those who believe that covenant infants should receive baptism, the sign and seal of God's covenant with His people—defining an infant as a person who has not matured to the point of being able to respond to the obligations of the gospel call in repentance and faith. We equally admit into our fellowship those who believe that the sacrament of baptism, no less than the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, should be administered only to those who have come to a credible profession of personal faith in Christ... In dealing with this subject that has long caused bitter divisions among God's people, we pledge ourselves to hold our views with a loving toleration and respect for differing brethren, all of us being united in repudiating the error of baptismal regeneration."

For believer's baptism, we use the following prescription for confessing faith and commitment to Christ:

• I confess that there is one living and true God, who exists eternally in the Trinity of His sacred persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
• I confess God the Father as my heavenly Father, who gave His Son for my redemption, who chose me in Christ and effectually called me by His Spirit to eternal salvation.
• I confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who came into the world to save sinners. I trust solely in the merits of His blood and righteousness to make me acceptable to God, and I acknowledge Him as my personal Savior.
• I confess the Holy Spirit as my comforter and sanctifier, the one who begot spiritual life in me and enabled me to repent and believe in Christ and who applied, and continues to apply, the merits of Christ to me.
• In making this confession and in submitting myself for Christian baptism, I wholeheartedly enter into covenant with the triune God, declaring that by His grace I have repented of my sin and have trusted Christ as my Savior and that I give myself up to Him to live for His glory in obedience to His Word and will.

And for infant baptism, the following questions are asked of the parents:

• Do you testify before God and this people that you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?
• Do you acknowledge your child’s sinful nature and his need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ and the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit if he/she is to be saved?
• Do you claim God’s covenant promise for this child, and do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for his/her salvation as you do for your own?
• Do you consecrate your child to God and promise in reliance on divine grace that you will set before him/her a godly example, that you will pray with and for him/her, that you will instruct him/her in the doctrines of the Christian faith, and that you will endeavor by the means of God’s appointment to raise him/her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

Time with family

My dear one, 

I am away from home for a bit, soaking up some quality time with my family in Florida. My parents, grandparents, my college-age brother, and a visiting uncle and aunt have had a wonderful few days of fellowship!

My uncle (my mom's brother) and I are on the same wavelength, and I have a feeling you would get along with him famously. He and his wife recently bought an old fixer-upper farmhouse and acquired some goats and chickens. Their interests range from politics and theology to soap-making and gardening. They are active in their small church and are true servants of Christ! I really wish I could spend more time with them. They had to take their leave of us yesterday, and are traveling by train back to their northern abode.

So now it is just the six of us. My brother has one semester of college remaining. It's hard for me to fathom that he now owns his first car and will be living off-campus this fall. He is keeping busy this summer with an online class and his summer job (aide at an assisted-living facility), but he and I fall into a nice routine when we're both here at Mom & Dad's. Our mutual love of coffee, combined with some cooking adventures and watching a few Wimbledon tennis matches on TV, have made for some quality time together.

Mom & Dad's apartment, only 600 sq. ft., does not really have space for more than the two of them. But my grandparents, residing but two doors down from Mom & Dad, have a spare bedroom for my brother when he is home from college, and I am comfortable claiming the couch in the sunroom. I confess it is a bit strange to have to live out of a suitcase in order to be with my family, but I knew it would be the case when my parents moved to Florida. Here, sadly, I do not have a childhood room to sleep in, local friends to call on, favorite haunts to run back to.

I wonder if you, my dear one, are far removed from your family home. Will you be able to takes to the town where you grew up? I would love to know how you lived as a small boy.

I don't know what you would think of my family here in Florida. My mother and grandmother have very particular ways of doing things, almost to the point of OCD, though I know them to be quite rational in their choices. If you were ever to visit either of their apartments (it would not have to be for very long, dear!), you would need to follow specific instructions such as hand-washing and shoe-removal upon arrival, and only sitting in chairs that are prepared for "dirty clothes" (read "germs from outside the home"). They didn't have quite as strict a protocol before moving here, so even I get confused by it all sometimes.

Don't worry, I'm not as hard to live with, and have no problem being around those with different habits, though I am much more observant than most regarding cleanliness habits. One example, lest you fear I'm crazy: you would probably understand if I told you that public door handles are home to many bacteria... So could you perhaps comprehend that it would be prudent to sanitize hands after grasping said door handles, especially when approaching food or those with compromised immune systems? For the same reasons, a wallet, purse, or set of keys that has been all over town would be best kept off of kitchen tables and counters.

The standard of cleanliness I have adopted now that I'm able to keep my own home is quite simple and straightforward. From a young age, I was taught to wash my hands after dealing with money, door handles, and the like. I grew up understanding that shoes can't help but track dirt through the house. I learned how to handle the preparation of raw meat without contaminating the entire kitchen. I became adept in keeping the bathroom sparkling clean. My recent forays into the world of essential oils and natural cleaning methods have yielded some non-toxic options for keeping a clean home, so I'm not as keen on Lysol and bleach as my mother and grandmother are!

And if you are to offer up the reminder that it is good to be exposed to germs, I'd agree... to some extent. God has indeed given us immune systems which need to be exercised on occasion. And of course bacteria can be a very good thing - everyone's stomach will assent to that! But there is such thing as needless exposure to the worst of the worst. (My brother and mother, with their work with the elderly, could tell countless stories about why hand-washing is important!)

But enough about the quirks of my family and its habits... I'm sure you will teach me about yours! And we'll smile knowingly, all too aware that some compromise is in order as we begin our life together.

Yours, waiting and hopeful, 
Me

Missing you

My dear one, 

I am missing you even more acutely than usual. (How can it be that I miss someone I haven't met though?) I miss you when the heavens open up in a genuine summer thunderstorm. I miss you when the evening sky glitters gold. And I long to know there is someone out there who needs me. I long to be able to ease your burdens. I long to wrap my arms around you and thank you for your prayers and patience. I long to text you for no special reason other than that I want to make you smile. The longer I live without you, the more I feel the need for someone who would motivate me and encourage me to be more sensitive, more selfless, more confident, more spontaneous.

My sweetheart, I have never been in love, though I have felt the occasional butterflies when I thought you had appeared on the scene. I have never enjoyed the attentions of a suitor, though over the course of the years I have gone on three separate outings with three different decent fellows. I have never kissed anyone except family, though your kisses have haunted my dreams. You will be the first to pursue, woo, romance, and win me.

Will the beginnings of our friendship be awkward? I wouldn't be surprised if at first you sense no interest from me - no doubt my careful, cautious nature will hold me back from expressing my hidden attraction to you. Or perhaps I won't notice you or think of you in any romantic way until you've convinced me that you are worthy of consideration. You are that someone about whom I will one day wonder increduously, "How can he still be single?"

Do my casual acquaintances wonder, when considering my single state, what my problem is that seems to keep men away? Do available young men steer clear of me simply because those before them have done the same, creating a self-perpetuating curse on my chances for love? O sweetheart, my biggest problem seems to be that you haven't found me!

Waiting for you...

Me

Christ our Redemption

The final truth that 1 Corinthians 1:30 outlines is this: “Christ became to us…redemption.” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary gives the following definition of redemption: “the ransom or deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God’s violated law by the atonement of Christ.” We have been released from our captivity to sin and delivered from the wrath of God! This is why we refer to Jesus as our “Saviour.”

How did Christ become our redemption? Paul explains that He “gave Himself for our sins” (Galatians 1:4), He “redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). We were redeemed not with “perishable things like silver or gold…but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Our debt to the demands of God’s justice has been satisfied – paid in full! We can proclaim, “Saved by the blood of the Crucified One! Now ransomed from sin and a new work begun!” What is that new work? Titus 2:14 gives the answer: “[Christ] gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” And Hebrews 9:14 confirms this new purpose for our lives: “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

A very special blessing associated with our redemption from sin’s bondage is this freedom to now serve God with our entire life! “Living for Jesus who died in my place, bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace; such love constrains me to answer His call, follow His leading, and give Him my all” (Thomas O. Chisholm). Echoing the words of Paul’s prayer for his brothers and sisters in Christ, I too “pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power” (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Christ Our Sanctification

The third blessing listed in 1 Corinthians 1:30 is this—“Christ became to us…sanctification.” Matthew Henry remarks on this verse, “Where Christ is made righteousness to any soul, He is also made sanctification. He never discharges from the guilt of sin, without delivering from the power of it.”

In both the Old and New Testaments, the word “sanctify” means to set something apart as pure and holy. So sanctification basically means holiness. Several historic doctrinal catechisms contain the following wording in regard to our understanding of sanctification: “Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.”

Hebrews 10:10 tells us that “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” We see, then, that sanctification is something that definitely took place when we were saved. But it is also lifelong process of consecration! As we behold the glory of Christ, we are “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

The hymnwriter William D. Longstaff encourages us in this respect: “Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone; by looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.” We can take this truth to heart as we seek to be “vessels for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). Let us be eagerly awaiting the day that our sanctification will be complete and perfect! “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). “Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Christ Our Righteousness

The second consideration from 1 Cor. 1:30 is “Christ became to us…righteousness.” This truth can be traced back to the Old Testament, where, for example, David acknowledged that his righteousness was not found in himself: “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” (Psalm 4:1). In Jeremiah, we even find this as a name of God (Jehovah-Tsidkenu, “the Lord our Righteousness – see Jer. 23:6).

In the New Testament we see the fulfillment of this blessing—the righteous and holy Son of God who perfectly kept God’s Law that we could not keep (James 2:10; Galatians 3:10). He has taken upon Himself all the guilt and sin and punishment that were upon us, and has clothed us with His robes of righteousness. “[God] made [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (II Corinthians 5:21). “For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). What a gift!

Robert Murray McCheyne penned these words in his hymn “Jehovah Tsidkenu”—

My terrors all vanished before the sweet name,
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life-giving and free,
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me. 

The comfort and assurance that “Christ is our righteousness” should have a real impact on our daily living as children of God. Since it is Christ’s righteousness, not our own feeble attempts, which makes us accepted in God’s sight, we never have to come to Him in fear, but instead may come boldly to His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:15-16)! Let us gratefully say with the apostle Paul, “[I am] found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9).

One of my favorite expressions of this truth is found in the 60th question of the Heidelberg Catechism… “Q. How are you right with God? A. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God's commandments and of never having kept any of them, and even though I am still inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without my deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is to accept this gift of God with a believing heart.”