Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author, and book reviewer.
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The Apostle tells us that “the present form of this world is passing away.” Horatius Bonar once reflected on this and wrote a beautiful bit of writing that shows just what that means and how we should live accordingly. The world is passing away — like a dream of the night. We lie down to rest; we fall asleep; we dream; we awake at morn — and lo, all is fled, which in our dream seemed so stable and so pleasant! So …
I have been making my way through the works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, first through his shorter poems and eventually through his epics. One of his shorter works particularly resonated with me since it touched on a theme complementary to an article I wrote just last week. Friday’s article was titled “There Is Only Ever Today” and told of the importance of embracing each day’s duty. Longfellow’s “Something Left Undone” deals honestly with the reality that some things will always …
Jesus promises that “everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” As I continue my dabbling in nineteenth century devotional writers, I came across a neat passage from Charles Ebert Orr in which he imagines how Jesus may do that very thing. I share it in the hope you’ll find it encouraging. Jesus will gather his holy angels before him and address them thus: “Do you behold Brother—? He is a …
I have spent the past few months learning from nineteenth century writers. In the past I’ve read much of the best of the Puritans and much of the best of today’s writers. I’m now trying to catch up with some who fall between. I am benefitting tremendously. This reflection comes from George Everard who wrote in the second half of the century. He writes about that precious rule, “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” and says… …
As time passes, I find myself increasingly drawn to old authors and old books. I scour the used bookshops to look for lost treasures. At the back of one such nineteenth-century work I found this old poem by Edward Morris. I don’t know who Edward Morris was or when he lived, but I’m grateful for the sweet poem he left us, a poem which celebrates the days so many lament—the days when life has grown long and death draws near. …
A book I’ve come to much enjoy is Piercing Heaven, which shares favorite prayers from the Puritans (and a few others). Many of the prayers are ones I’ve been able to pray myself. This example comes from the pen of Robert Hawker. Precious Jesus, you are the Source, the Fountain, the Author, the Finisher of all. “Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are your judgments, and your ways past finding …
There is little we can know scientifically about what happens after we die. There are no experiments we can carry out that offer conclusive evidence of what happens when the eyes close for the final time, when the heart at last stops beating. We know, of course, that the body will immediately begin to decline and decay, but what of the consciousness, what of the soul, what of that part of a person that makes him what he most truly …
A new year is now well underway, and at the beginning of this year I found myself reading and reflecting upon James Smith’s powerful new year’s address. (James Smith was one of Charles Spurgeon’s predecessors at New Park Street Chapel in London.) At the conclusion of his message he tells his church what he is praying on their behalf—seven things he longs for them to experience, to have, to do, to enjoy, and to be preserved from. I trust you’ll …
One of my favorite things is to find someone else’s prayer that I can pray quietly by myself on a Sunday morning. I suppose there’s a kind of freshness to it—a different way of expressing similar truths. On this Sunday morning I’m praying along with J.R. Miller who once created a whole collection of prayers for that very reason. As we begin this holy Sunday, our Father, may You give us indeed a Sunday blessing. On this day which reminds …
Merry Christmas! I pray that this will be a sweet day of rest and remembrance for you—a day in which you will be able to rest from your normal labors to remember our Savior’s birth. As you do so, perhaps you will be blessed by this old prayer drawn from The Valley of Vision. It will call you to marvel at the wonder of God made man, of deity meeting humanity. What shall I render to thee for the gift …