A key ingredient

Andrew Bonar in his introduction to The Letters of Samuel Rutherford (1881 edition), writes:

“It might be instructive to inquire why it is that wherever Godliness is healthy and progressive we almost invariably find Learning in the Church of Christ attendant on it; while on the other hand, an illiterate state is attended sooner or later by decay of vital godliness. Not that all are learned in such times; but there is always an ‘ingredient’ of the kind among some of those whom the Lord is using. It may be that the energy of soul created by a revival leads on to the study of whatever is likely to be useful in the defence or propogation of the truth, whereas, when decay is progressing in a church, sloth and ease prevail, and are causes why theological learning is thought too heavy to be plodded through. With Samuel Rutherford and his contemporaries we find learning side by side with vital, and singularly deep godliness.”
—Andrew Bonar


It is a challenging thing to be learning and studying theology — indeed, sometimes one’s head just hurts! But obviously, Bonar has hit upon an interesting point here. The value, besides getting to know God more and understanding his purposes in salvation, etc., is that it will spur us on to holy living. It is interesting that there is such a tie here but when you spend a moment thinking about it you realize that the first step in LIVING to please God is KNOWING what pleases God. In my experience, it is also the greatest safeguard against following error, whether in our thoughts or in our actions — when God’s Word is planted in our hearts, it is then that his Spirit can call it to mind and challenge us with it.

Be strong and courageous...

Joshua 1:9 says, 'Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.'

This is the third time in the space of three verses that the Lord uses the words, 'Be strong and courageous'! I think that is very telling... We, like Joshua, though perhaps not faced with such a daunting task as he faced, are prone to be 'terrified' or 'discouraged' at the prospect of really stepping out for God, whether it be moving forward in some area of service, taking a stand on something, even in resisting temptation and standing against sin in our lives.

How evident it is that the One who made us, knows us so well! He speaks to the very need of our hearts — and of Joshua's. We are prone to fear, concern, discouragement, weariness, and even of terror, at the prospect of some of the things God calls us to do. But then, how suited are the Lord's next words: 'the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.'

Now... if we could just remember that, at those times, how strengthened and courageous of heart we would be!

The loveliness of Christ

Reading through Andrew Bonar's introduction to Samuel Rutherford's letters last night I came across this wonderful anecdote…

Said a merchant of Rutherford:

"I went to St. Andrew's, where I heard a sweet majestic looking man (R. Blair) and he showed me the majesty of God. After him I heard a little fair man, (Rutherford) and he showed me the loveliness of Christ."

Oh, to be people who show others the loveliness of such a Saviour as we have in Christ! What a blessing it must have been to hear Rutherford preach of Christ so that others were attracted to the loveliness of His person. If any have read Faith Cook's "Grace in Winter" (poetry based on the letters of Rutherford) you will already know something of the vibrant way in which Rutherford testified of the beauty of Christ.

Gregory of Nyssa on faith...

Just returning to this theme of faith once again and reading one of the early church fathers, Gregory of Nyssa (mid to late 300s). I picked up 'From glory to glory' when I was in Oxford earlier this year - it is a compilation of some of his writings on various topics. To be honest, I haven't read a lot of the early church fathers but working on Michael Haykin's 'Defence of the truth' for Evangelical Press in 2004, did spark some interest... mostly I think because I was amazed at how similar to us their battles for truth were!

Anyhow, back to Gregory of Nyssa. From what I gather, many of his writings are quite mystical and devotional. I found this section from ‘The Symbol of Abraham’s Migration’ quite helpful and it follows this thread of faith that I have been considering:


"… it is only through faith that the questing soul can unite itself with the incomprehensible Godhead.

Abandoning, then, the curiosity of the mind, Abraham, says the text, ‘believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice’ (Romans 4:3; cf. Genesis 15:6). And this, says the Apostle, was written not for Abraham but for us, for it is by faith and not knowledge that men are accounted just before God. For knowledge has a kind of market value, accorded to the knower alone. But this is not so of Christian faith. For it ‘is the substance of things to be hoped for’ (Hebrews 11:1), not of things that are known. We do not hope for what we already possess. As the Apostle says, ‘For what a man hath, why doth he hope for?’ (Romans 8:24).

Faith, therefore, take the place of that which escapes our knowledge, being by its own security a guarantee for what is invisible. So the Apostle says of the faithful soul: ‘he endured as seeing him that is invisible’ (Hebrews 11:27). …

Listen to the counsel of Ecclesiastes: ‘Do not utter a word before God. For God,’ he says, ‘is in heaven, and thou upon earth’ (Eccles. 5:1). And he shows, I think, especially by the distance that separates heaven and earth, despite their mutual affinity, how far the divine nature surpasses the compass of man’s thought. For as much as the stars are beyond the grasp of the fingers, so much and many times more does that nature which is above all human minds transcend our earthly thoughts."
— Gregory of Nyssa

A season of clear shining

Just a few lines from Cowper tonight… and thinking on how God, in a myriad of ways, ministers his grace to "cheer" our souls:

Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord who rises
With healing in his wings:
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining
To cheer it after rain
—William Cowper

Spur one another on

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:23-24)


I have found Hebrews a book that I constantly delve into this last while. Partly, I suppose, because I have been studying the nature of faith and Hebrews deals a lot with that, and partly because I find it so stirring to my thoughts about the reality of what it means to be a Christian who perseveres, who stands, by the grace of God, and keeps seeking that “better,” heavenly country.

What I like about the author of Hebrews is that he really urges us to remain true to our calling. He is very real about what the battles are, what some are giving in to, etc. etc. and yet always his focus is to urge us on—be faithful, fix your thoughts on Jesus, hold unswervingly, encourage one another daily, go on to maturity, endure hardship, strengthen your feeble knees and weak arms, keep on loving each other, remember God has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Much urging!

And, just as the author of Hebrews urges us to press on with Christ, he also encourages us to “spur one another on.” What a challenge that is! It is so clear that we have a spiritual responsibility for one another. We are to desire the spiritual growth of those Christians around us and find ways to encourage them along in the walk of faith. It is amazing how 'corporate' the body of Christ is. We are not islands, making our way through suffering and struggles on our own—we have a whole body around us! I think if we realized how much we needed one another, and cared for one another like the author of Hebrews urges us to, there would be much more love and care being expressed in the body of Christ than is often apparent. We can be so selfish, so concerned about our own situation, and so unmindful of the spiritual needs of those around us. We need to see that it matters if those around us stand firm just as much as it matters that we do! They are facing the same enemy as we are and God often will use the "instrument" of another believer, to keep us keeping on.

How can we hold unswervingly to the hope we profess? Well, we can only do it because HE is faithful and he often accomplishes that goal by giving us one another to spur us on! How gracious God is to not only save us and keep us, but also to give us the community of faith to bolster our courage and to urge us to live for him!

In His grip

Sometimes, when the days seem to swirl by and life feels like it's going a little too fast, I find particular comfort in just plain knowing that God has his firm grip on me — or, that I'm 'In the grip of grace', as Max Lucado puts it! I may not always have my focus right, I might get distracted and wander, I might even feel just overwhelmed with life, but my Sovereign God has his solid, guiding and gracious grip upon my life.

Here's a few poetic thoughts along this line from Augustus Toplady's pen:


The work which his goodness began,
The arm of his strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen,
And never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
Nor all things below or above,
Can make him his purpose forgo,
Or sever my soul from his love.

My name from the palms of his hands
Eternity will not erase;
Impressed on his heart it remains,
In marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
As sure as the earnest is given;
More happy, but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in heav'n.

—Augustus Toplady (v2-3, from 'A debtor to mercy alone')

A DEEP love

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure
That he should give his only son, to make a wretch his treasure
How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turned his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen one, bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon his shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life; I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything: no gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ; his death and resurrection
Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart: his wounds have paid my ransom


We sang this song by Stuart Townend tonight... I always find it a very humbling song to sing and it expresses so poignantly the depths to which the Father's love to me was expressed in the giving of his son, Jesus Christ, to pay "my ransom." "I cannot give an answer" as to why he should do this, except to say it was all grace... grace.. grace... I think the more I experience God's patience and grace to me, day by day—and many days even as a Christian—I am more humbled by my sin and unworthiness. His love and kindness are unexplainable on any human level and yet I know and experience them moment by moment. And every day I need to come back to God and find my daily refuge in him. What an incredible "Father of compassion and God of all comfort"—whose mercies are truly new every morning!

Christina Rossetti

How can we say ‘enough’ on earth—
‘Enough’ with such a craving heart? …

Not in this world of hope deferred,
This world of perishable stuff: —
Eye hath not seen nor ear hath heard
Nor heart conceived that full ‘enough’:
Here moans the separating sea,
Here harvests fail, here breaks the heart:
There God shall join and no man part,
I full of Christ and Christ of me.

— Christina Rossetti, lines from ‘The heart knoweth its own bitterness’


Just a few lines, but they speak volumes! Rossetti reminds me that heaven will put such a different spin on things, whether it be 'hope deferred', 'perishable stuff' or 'the separating sea' — and thinking about heaven now gives me some perspective on all these things that 'will not be' then. And where, one day, we will be supremely 'satisfied' — wonderful hope to keep in my sights!