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A La Carte (May 27)

friday

May the Lord be with you and bless you today.

Westminster Books has a handy little Father’s Day Gift Guide for those who want to get a jump on their shopping.

(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Christian Books for May 2022)

When MAID goes to Church

“I was recently taken aback to read that medical assistance-in-dying (MAID) was performed in a church in Manitoba. MAID, more properly referred to as physician-assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia, is the act of deliberately causing the patient’s death upon their considered request.” Many of us were taken aback by this! Ewan Goligher tells why MAID should not enter the church.

Bend Me Toward the Light

“Written into creation is God’s plan for growth. Sunlight is essential, as is water. When our plants die, it’s often because of lack of light or moisture. So, if one of those things is less accessible than it should be, a plant will lean toward what it needs. We humans, on the other hand, will bend toward whatever gives us the most pleasure, physical comfort, and approval, no matter how it affects our health and growth.”

Praying “God, Be With Us”

Is it trite to pray “God, be with us?” “What I once considered ashes in my mouth has now become honey. I thought I could pray better, holier prayers, but now I realize there’s nothing more essential to our well-being. At our deepest, most elemental level, we desperately need God’s presence, because we need God himself. We need God to be with us.”

Mercy in Modesty

“Where and to whom do you show partiality or practice favoritism? James’ audience, those of the Dispersion, showed partiality to those of status, rich people wearing fine clothing with gold jewelry, over those who were embarrassingly poor, so apparent by their shabby, dirty clothing. How are you prone to snobbery at church?” This is well worth asking.

Is God a Therapist?

Here’s a prediction from Carl Trueman: “I would anticipate that within five years we will witness a significant disruption across all major representatives of the Christian faith. The fault lines will run between those who find a way to accommodate to the world’s terms of good citizenship and those whose fidelity to Christ will lead to varying degrees of internal exile within this earthly city.”

A Call to Raise Daughters Wise to Domestic Abuse

“‘If your future husband ever lays a finger on you, you better tell me so I can kill him.’ This is the extent to which many dads address abuse with their daughters. It feels effective because it’s simple, protective, and tough. And it also feels kind of awesome to say.” But it’s not nearly enough, is it?

Flashback: Getting Older Involves a Lot of Dying

Obviously physical mortality will be my final end, just as it has been for everyone else, but I’m seeing there is lots more I’ll need to die to before that.

The law-maker became the law-keeper, but then took our place and condemnation as though he were the law-breaker.

—Sinclair Ferguson

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