I love reading biographies, the stories of men like Oswald Chambers, C.S. Lewis, John Knox, Jonathan Edwards, Augustine, Paul, and Jeremiah.
As I read about their lives, I get the impression that our modern ideas
about masculine maturity are a far cry from what godly men of
earlier generations understood and practiced.
As I read about their lives, I get the impression that our modern ideas
about masculine maturity are a far cry from what godly men of
earlier generations understood and practiced.
We talk a lot today about things like vulnerability and the courage to feel our pain.
They seemed more interested in worship and witnessing.
We speak of honest communication and living up to our potential.
They fell to their knees in brokenness and got up to serve.
They seemed more interested in worship and witnessing.
We speak of honest communication and living up to our potential.
They fell to their knees in brokenness and got up to serve.
I wonder if the virtues we try to develop came naturally
to those men from years ago whose toughest battles
were fought against whatever kept them from knowing Christ. ...
to those men from years ago whose toughest battles
were fought against whatever kept them from knowing Christ. ...
Religious men of today too often have found a convenient God,
an immediately useful God promoted by leaders
who are filled more by the thrill of adoring crowds than
by their opportunity for quiet communion with God....
an immediately useful God promoted by leaders
who are filled more by the thrill of adoring crowds than
by their opportunity for quiet communion with God....
Men from earlier generations slugged it out in intensely personal battles that lasted for years,
battles that lessened only when they abandoned themselves more fully to Christ,
not merely when they felt a new passion sweep through them at a big rally
or when they discovered some new insight about themselves in therapy.
The joy of finding Christ was released through brokenness over sin,
brokenness that led to worshipful abandonment to God.
Knowing Christ intimately developed through a deep work of God's Spirit
that took place sometimes in big crowds
but more often during long seasons of agonizing prayer in solitude.
battles that lessened only when they abandoned themselves more fully to Christ,
not merely when they felt a new passion sweep through them at a big rally
or when they discovered some new insight about themselves in therapy.
The joy of finding Christ was released through brokenness over sin,
brokenness that led to worshipful abandonment to God.
Knowing Christ intimately developed through a deep work of God's Spirit
that took place sometimes in big crowds
but more often during long seasons of agonizing prayer in solitude.
Larry Crabb, The Silence of Adam, 30-31.
I just spent a week traveling. It was good to spent time with the Back to God International board meeting. It was also great to see my mother and my sister. I am thankful for the time and the people.
I am also so very thankful for the quiet. My life is so full of talking. I talk for a living. I have so many children, and I find that all of them love to talk to daddy. I enjoy talking to my wife.
When I travel, I get a chance to turn off the noise, close my mouth, and just enter into quiet with my Lord and God. For a time, I get to listen instead of just talking. As the ancient devotional writers put it,
I wholeheartedly agree with Larry Crabb's thoughts above. I needed the quiet. I feel the fire returning. May it burn hot for Jesus, and may many come to find comfort from its heat.
I am also so very thankful for the quiet. My life is so full of talking. I talk for a living. I have so many children, and I find that all of them love to talk to daddy. I enjoy talking to my wife.
When I travel, I get a chance to turn off the noise, close my mouth, and just enter into quiet with my Lord and God. For a time, I get to listen instead of just talking. As the ancient devotional writers put it,
When the mouth is open, the fire goes out.
When the mouth is shut, the dying embers come back to life.
I wholeheartedly agree with Larry Crabb's thoughts above. I needed the quiet. I feel the fire returning. May it burn hot for Jesus, and may many come to find comfort from its heat.
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