May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
On sale this week at Westminster Books is the excellent “The Gospel in the Old Testament” series. It’s a helpful resource for better understanding and applying the OT.
Trusting God in the Midst of Tragedy
Aileen and I have been blessed to become friends with Jamie and Vanessa Strickland as our families have endured similar tragedies. In this article Jamie reflects on a psalm that has been especially precious to him after the death of their precious Jude.
Of Devils and Advocates: The Meaning of Native Graves
Steven Wedgeworth has written a helpful article on Canada’s residential schools. “Since the end of May, Canada has been rocked by the discovery of unmarked graves associated with the government’s notorious Canadian Indian residential school system. At the time of this writing, five major sites have been located, with an estimated total of around 1,400 graves. Other sites are being investigated, and none of the investigations are complete. These findings have reminded many Canadians of the still-open wounds left by Canada’s treatment of its First Nations and other native peoples, and have caused deep national introspection. They have also occasioned violent backlash and vigilante retribution, with at least nine churches set on fire, many others vandalized, and statues of Queens Victoria and Elizabeth II toppled.”
My Church, My People
“It is in times like these that I wonder how people cope with tragedy without family or church to help share the load. We are created for community, to rejoice and to weep within the nurturing circle of mutual care.” I have often wondered the same.
Being Discerning and Being Critical Are Not the Same Thing
There are key distinctions between being discerning and being critical. Here’s a biggie: “The discerning person will also discern what is good, right and true because that is their primary concern. Whilst they may speak about what is less good and evidently not right, they will also have a good word to say about many godly people, good Bible teachers, people who are rightly dividing the Word of truth. The discerning person will have both good words and critical words to say.”
Learning to Enjoy Rest
Lara d’Entremont writes briefly and simply about learning to enjoy rest.
When God Contests His Children
Doug Eaton: “No matter how much I struggled, there was no relief. I could not win the fight. At the time, none of it made any sense. Who or what was this enemy anyway? All I saw was wave after wave crashing upon me. I fought and fought but to no avail. At first, I was resolved to win, but the battle continued, the night was long, and my strength was spent.”
Flashback: A Quick Fix for Low Self-Esteem
We gossip when our love for others is too low and our love for self is too high. After all, diminishing an enemy requires far less effort than personal growth.
The all-victorious Christ is like a great rock in a weary land, to whose shelter we may flee in every time of sorrow or trial, finding quiet refuge and peace in him.
—J.R. Miller
