Every January, in addition to catching up with the Westminster Shorter Catechism, I like to read through the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards.
Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.
There are a 70 of them. You can read them here. They are worth reading!
Well, fall is finally here. I wore a turtleneck yesterday and switched out all my summer clothes. Now we have to enjoy it while we can before the winter winds begin to blow!
In other news the biggest pumpkin of the year weighed in at 2,471 pounds in California. Well, hey, congratulations. I had two pumpkin vines going and they flowered and grew, but, alas, no pumpkins emerged. C’est la vie. I suppose I will have to hop over to the pumpkin patch at the Methodist Church and buy some.
In my daily Bible reading, I am finally in the New Testament. It was a long haul through the OT–not that I’m complaining–but I’m ready to move on. Maybe I should watch The Ten Commandments (1956) to make sure I won’t forget what a great thing it was when God parted the Red Sea and how bad we stiff-necked sinners are who doubt and fuss and want to turn back to Egypt over and over and over again.
We do not have all the time in the world to repent and change our ways. And we are not reminded of this enough. Memento mori. Even at this time of year, when my neighborhood is populated with giant skeletons and plastic grave markers galore and the world is teetering on collapse, we go blithely on our merry way.
Well, here’s your reminder to turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways.
The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
And so we embark on a new year: 2024! I think it is a good habit to pray along with Jonathan Edwards at this time:
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year, with Thee, O Father as my harbour, Thee, O Son, at my helm, Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails. Guide me to heaven with my loins girt, my lamp burning, my ear open to Thy calls, my heart full of love, my soul free.
Give me They grace to sanctify me, Thy comforts to cheer, Thy wisdom to teach, Thy right hand to guide, Thy counsel to instruct, Thy law to judge, Thy presence to stabilize. May Thy fear be my awe, Thy triumphs my joy.
It is also worth re-reading Kevin DeYoung on the subject of not trying to be “with it” in the new year. “Give up trying to keep up. Let the pop culture whirlwind pass you by. Be wonderfully ignorant of the world of what’s happening now. Don’t worry, the important news will still get to you. But hopefully most of the other “news” won’t.”
Good grief, I couldn’t agree more.
And remember, If you’re still alive and breathing, Praise the Lord.
Today we celebrate the birthday of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)–here are 10 things you should know about him.
“Men have a great deal of pleasure in human knowledge, in studies of natural things; but this is nothing to that joy which arises from divine light shining into the soul. This spiritual light is the dawning of the light of glory in the heart. There is nothing so powerful as this to support persons in affliction, and to give the mind peace and brightness in this stormy and dark world. This knowledge will wean from the world, and raise the inclination to heavenly things. It will turn the heart to God as the fountain of good, and to choose him for the only portion. This light, and this only, will bring the soul to a saving close with Christ. It conforms the heart to the gospel, mortifies its enmity and opposition against the scheme of salvation therein revealed: it causes the heart to embrace the joyful tidings, and entirely to adhere to, and acquiesce in the revelation of Christ as our Savior.” ― Jonathan Edwards
So live with all your might, never suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings, tell the truth, do your duty willingly and cheerfully, and…
“Spiritual pride tends to speak of other persons’ sins with bitterness or with laughter and levity and an air of contempt. But pure Christian humility rather tends either to be silent about these problems or to speak of them with grief and pity. Spiritual pride is very apt to suspect others, but a humble Christian is most guarded about himself. He is as suspicious of nothing in the world as he is of his own heart. The proud person is apt to find fault with other believers, that they are low in grace, and to be much in observing how cold and dead they are and to be quick to note their deficiencies. But the humble Christian has so much to do at home and sees so much evil in his own heart and is so concerned about it that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. He is apt to esteem others better than himself.”
As we approach the new year, I think there is no better prayer to utter than this one by Jonathan Edwards. I have quoted it before, but it bears repeating every year.
O Lord, Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in Thy presence, in Thy service, to Thy glory. Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour, that I may not be one moment apart from Thee, but may rely on Thy Spirit to supply every thought, speak in every word, direct every step, prosper every work, build up every mote of faith, and give me a desire to show forth Thy praise; testify Thy love, advance Thy kingdom.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year, with Thee, O Father as my harbour, Thee, O Son, at my helm, Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails. Guide me to heaven with my loins girt, my lamp burning, my ear open to Thy calls, my heart full of love, my soul free.
Give me They grace to sanctify me, Thy comforts to cheer, Thy wisdom to teach, Thy right hand to guide, Thy counsel to instruct, Thy law to judge, Thy presence to stabilize. May Thy fear be my awe, Thy triumphs my joy.
Woohoo! Give me Thy grace to sanctify me!
P.S. The Amaryllis that my brother and sister-in-law sent is blooming!
“If the heart be chiefly and directly fixed on God, and the soul engaged to glorify him, some degree of religious affection will be the effect and attendant of it. But to seek after affection directly and chiefly; to have the heart principally set upon that; is to place it in the room of God and his glory. If it be sought, that others may take notice of it, and admire us for our spirituality and forwardness in religion, it is then damnable pride; if for the sake of feeling the pleasure of being affected, it is then idolatry and self-gratification.”
–Jonathan Edwards, The Life and Diary of David Brainerd
If you have 45 minutes and are in the mood for some solid conversation about the Puritans, listen to this podcast of Daniel Doriani and Abram Van Engen, who is a Professor of English at my former flyover university and an old acquaintance of mine.
(The painting is The Oxbow by Thomas Cole. The Connecticut River’s Oxbow is within Northampton’s city limits, a city where Jonathan Edwards lived and preached for many years.)
Another Saturday night, January 1738-39, I had such a sense, how sweet and blessed a thing it was, to walk in the way of duty, to do that which was right and meet to be done, and agreeable to the holy mind of God; that it caused me to break forth into a kind of loud weeping, which held me some time; so that I was forced to shut myself up, and fasten the doors. I could not but as it were cry out, “How happy are they which do that which is right in the sight of God! They are blessed indeed, they are the happy ones!” I had at the same time, a very affecting sense, how meet and suitable it was that God should govern the world, and order all things according to his own pleasure; and I rejoiced in it, that God reigned, and that his will was done.
The Florida room is open for business! Come on over!
In the meantime, today we remember Jonathan Edwards who died on this day in 1758. His words resonate today.
Though Christian fortitude appears in withstanding and counteracting the enemies that are without us; yet it much more appears in resisting and suppressing the enemies that are within us; because they are our worst and strongest enemies and have greatest advantage against us. The strength of the good soldier of Jesus Christ appears in nothing more than in steadfastly maintaining the holy calm, meekness, sweetness, and benevolence of his mind, amidst all the storms, injuries, strange behavior, and surprising acts and events of this evil and unreasonable world.
Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections
Today also marks the 88th anniversary of the first Masters Tournament in 1934 (held March 22-25) at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The winner was Horton Smith who hailed originally from Springfield, Missouri. He won the event with a 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th hole (now the 8th hole), and finished at 284 (−4), one stroke ahead of runner-up Craig Wood. Smith served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII. After the war, he became the golf pro at the Detroit Golf Club in Michigan, where he remained until his death. The Masters is coming up April 7, so stay tuned.
We also wish a happy birthday to William Shatner (1931), Orrin Hatch (1934) and Billy Collins (1941).
And a shout-out to daughter #2 and Baby Katie who are on spring break.
Did you have a merry Christmas? I hope so. Daughter #2 and Katiebelle leave today and I will get back to regular blogging shortly. Until then, here’s wishing you a happy new year and hoping that you resolve to grow in godliness in 2022. However, I agree with Anne that “the way out is not to try to baptize self-consideration. Nor to take to oneself the work of the Holy Spirit. Rather, the Christian above all people has access to the greatest gift given by God–to lose track of oneself in the worship of a holy and merciful God.”
Here’s the 2021 TCM Remembers video which features film luminaries who died this past year.
I’ll be toasting the wonderful Israeli actress Haya Harareet who died this year in February.
Check out this four-minute clip of PCA minister Alistair Begg–“The Man on the middle cross said I could come.”
The full sermon is titled “The Power and Message of the Cross” and can be watched in its entirety here.
R.C. Sproul reminded us continually that “Disciples of Christ abide in His Word. Those who abide in His Word know the truth and are free.” Here is a list of Bible reading plans for 2022 from Ligonier Ministries.
So again, Happy New Year! Thank you for reading our blog.
We are happy to be welcoming a new year, but remember to celebrate responsibly. Daughter #1 is headed back to Jeff City early because the weather forecast for this weekend looks lousy. Our New Year’s Eve plans will be curtailed and low-key. C’est la vie.
I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
dual personalities 