Glory Books Ministry Blog - Entries written by Greg HarrisCowboy (1997-2007)
For anyone who knew us during the years listed above, knew that our beloved Shetland Sheep dog (Sheltie) named Cowboy was an almost daily companion and friend. Many days we would have 18 hours together. People would ask in emails and when I saw them, "So how is Cowboy?" He was that much a part of the family. Rarely would people see me very long without seeing him. He was one of the smartest dogs I've ever been around. It was almost like having a toddler who understood so much of what you were saying but couldn't speak.
I get a lot of mileage out of this letter from people who have lost pets that were dear, dear friends to them. So here is how I wrote to announce when unexpectedly died Cowboy died on October 27, 2007. I hope this will minister to someone in a similar situation:
Cowboy (1997-2007)
After a little over 10 years together, my beloved dog and very close friend Cowboy died of heart disease. Years ago I had a friend whose dog died. I wrote something that would hopefully encourage her. Even though it was written about her dog named Zack, I think it best sums up what I would have written about Cowboy:
February 6, 2001
Dead Linda,
I found out from Nathan (her son) on Saturday about Zack’s death and was saddened to hear the news. Although we bought Cowboy to be “Lauren’s dog,” Cowboy instead “chose me.” He is my dog—much in the same way that David (her husband) told me Zack was yours. So as you are probably acutely aware, you don’t lose a pet that can readily be replaced with another; you lose a friend, and a close friend at that. It bothers me even now to think that one day I will have to say goodbye to Cowboy. In fact, it is mildly embarrassing how attached I am to him (or him to me?) From what I’ve heard, your relationship with Zack was quite similar—and I very much hurt for you.
One of my fondest memories ever was the first full day we had with Cowboy. Betsy and I stared out our window as three puppies (two human; one canine) raced each other in childhood exuberance, jumping the what-seemed-big-to-them-at-the-time creek in our backyard. Unabashedly laughing and squealing—peppered with an occasional “yip” at the joy of the moment. I turned to Betsy as we savored this life picture and said, “You know we’re handing them a heartache.” She never took her eyes off the three but merely nodded in silent agreement. We said nothing else for a while, as we both watched friendships beginning to develop that summer morning. Even to this day it is hard to express in words the blessed sanctity of that moment.
How would I ever know that I was actually making reference to myself when saying, “We’re handing them a heartache”? But then again, wouldn’t we rather have the joy of the years together rather than the absence of anything or anyone to love? Heartaches are only derived from what our heart attaches itself to—and sometimes they come in furry packages.
Who knows what our heavenly Father has in store for us in our ultimate home. I could easily see it shared with this aspect of God’s creation. After all, animals were a part of God’s creation He originally called good, and “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is not variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). With a new heaven and a new earth promised by God (Rev. 21:1), who knows what good animals He has already sovereignly chosen to inhabit eternity. I know there are horses in heaven (Rev. 19:11, 14); it would by no means surprise me to see dogs there as well.
God bless you, Linda. I hope God gives you another heartache to love.
Greg The Cup and the Glory to be an Audio Book Soon I have spent the past week in a studio reading out loud and recording The Cup and the Glory. We had received requests for this throughout the years, but I never could find a good time to do it. I "bit the bullet" and by God's grace got it done in about one week.
I did not realize when I started this how arduous the task was. It was enjoyable to do, and it brought back many, many memories, but it also took a long time to do. By the way, praise God for godly editors who go in an clean up the multiple mistakes that comes with reading an entire book. I have yet to listen to any of this, so I have no idea how it will sound (other than Southern). :-)
We do not know the exact timeframe for when this will be released. We are not even sure exactly how the means will be to make this available, but we will let you know. It should not be too long.
Hope this will be fruitful.
The Writing of The Face and the Glory
I
often get asked how many Glory Books will I end up writing? My response is I
don’t know. There are billions and billions of them in the Bible, but I do not
know how many God wants me to write, and I actually see it as His decision and
not mine.
I
knew if I did ever write a fourth Glory Book that it would be entitled The Face and the Glory. I would come
across intriguing Bible verses in my other studies related to this topic, jot
them down and put them inside a folder I had for this. I worked some on the
“sketchpad” (that is, the content of the book as a whole, the chapter order,
the study for the material for each chapter). Once the sketchpad is complete, I
know what I am going to write; I do not yet know how I will write it. I always
wait for God’s direction about writing Glory Books. I would never do a quota of
a certain number. I want to make sure it is His idea and not mine. Also I
wondered with my many other ministry (and family) responsibilities as to when I
would have the necessary time to write the book. I did not want to rush through
it. I very much want to “get it right.”
In
late November/early December of 2009 I had a “perfect storm” of events that
radically changed my normal routine. First, I had a massive arthritis flair up.
Second, I had this intense but periodic pain in my abdomen a little higher than
where one’s appendix is. Since I already had mine removed years before, I knew
that was not the problem. Third, my right hip joint got so that it would not
support weight. I spent some nights groveling on the floor, pretty much like I
had done so when I originally was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis years
before. My rheumatologist had told me that from what I saw on my x-rays years
before that I would eventually have trouble with my right hip. He could not say
when that would be. He told me to pretty much do what I want to do, that I
would not hasten or slow down the problem.
They
gave me a strong dose of steroids, and that relieved the inflammation enough so
that at least the hip would bear weight and the throbbing cease. I had x-rays
done, but it was during the Christmas Holiday season, and since this was not
life threatening, I had to wait until January 8 to see the orthopedic surgeon.
I asked him what my next step was, and he told me, “Pick up the phone and
schedule your total hip replacement. You’ve got bone-on-bone. But get your
hernia fixed before your hip surgery.”
That
was the Friday before the Spring Semester 2010 began the following Tuesday. My
initial plan was to try to hold out until the summer to have the surgeries, but
it just was not medically feasible. I went in to tell Dr. Dick Mayhue at the
Master’s Seminary about my unexpected turn in events, and he was very gracious
and pastorally soothing and not upset about my situation. He put me on medical
sabbatical and found replacement teachers to cover my classes. I was glad for
the grace extended me, but painfully sad to give up my classes. I so enjoy what
I do. I so enjoy my interaction with students. Some of the students in the
classes I had that year had worked their schedule so they could take one of my
classes. Many had started their seminary studies the same year that I came as a
faculty member, and this was their final semester. I looked at the class rolls
and grievously went the list student by student. I had about a couple of days
of “whoa is me,” but I got refocused and knew that God—as always—remains in
complete control.
The
hernia surgery was February 3, 2010. They told me my hernia was in a most
unusual place, so the surgery itself was pretty deep as some of the main
abdominal muscles had to be cut and repaired. I was on strong pain medicine for
two weeks. I could not read during this time. I could do headlines and very
light stuff, but I could not comprehend a page in a book.
The
hip replacement surgery was originally scheduled one month later for March 3,
2010, but I received a call from the surgeon’s office saying there was a
scheduling conflict with the hospital, so my surgery would be bumped two week
to March 17, 2010. The good news was that I was able to attend the wonderful
Shepherds’ Conference that Grace Community Church puts on each year; the bad
news was how it affected a very important scheduling matter.
Each
year The Master’s Seminary offers a three-week study tour in Israel. Each year
at least one faculty representative goes on the trip. We do so on a rotation
basis, and for about three years, I was scheduled to go in May 2010. I had been
to Israel twice before, once for almost one month of study, and once I went there
to go teach in Amman, Jordan (crossing the Jordan River at Jericho). I had so
looked forward to that trip. It was to be my wife Betsy’s first overseas trip.
Beloved friends and some students signed up for the trip because I was a part
of it (as they do with the other professors when it is their time to go).
Even
though I had surgery, I was going to train hard in my rehab and planned to go.
However, when they had to bump my surgery for two weeks, it was pretty much the
kiss of death for me to go on that trip. Dr. Mayhue called me at home to inform
me that the school had already made the decision to bump me off this year’s
trip for medical reasons. I agreed with and supported the decision made by the
school, but it greatly saddened me not to go for not only the reasons listed
above, but just to go as a student of God and His Word and to learn in that
setting.
Once
I got bumped off the trip to Israel, I had a few months before I was to teach a
one-week summer school class at the Master’s College. Before all the other
medical stuff, I was having trouble with my right knee. I had previously had
two surgeries because of arthritis damage, so I recognized some of the same
symptoms. I had planned to get it checked some time in early January 2010
before the Israel trip. So I went back to the surgeon, and they found “a
massive tear” in the meniscus and scheduled the third surgery for April 28,
2010. In my previous two knee surgeries, the knee was a lot worse once they got
inside it, so it was not a complete surprise to awake from surgery and found
they had performed micro-fracture surgery as well. I ended up being on crutches
for six weeks. It slowed down my rehab for the hip replacement surgery.
So
having had my schedule completely and unexpected changed, I ended up with a
five-week segment in between the second and third surgeries. It was still in
the early and arduous recovery and rehab from the hip replacement, and I was
trying to wean myself off the pain medicine. I would do my rehab as they
allowed, but most of my time (including where I slept) was my old faithful blue
recliner that I had used when I got out of the hospital with RA back in North
Carolina.
I
very cautiously and without much expectation began to investigate if I could
possibly work on The Face and the Glory
during this five-week section between surgeries. I could not even sit at a desk
yet, and then when I did, I could not do it for long. I also opened my “The
Face and the Glory” folder to see what all I had in there. I thought I would be
about 50% done; much to my amazement, I think it was more around the 10-20%
range, being not nearly as developed as I had remembered. So in other words, I
virtually started from scratch. I had no sketchpad and no table of contents.
But I did get to study, and I had wonderfully rich times with God and His Word.
Under
the circumstances, God had to bless it if this book was ever going to be
written—which He did. So I wrote the entire first draft during that five-week
period. At the end of July 2010, I read through it for the first time since the
third surgery and edited it. It is by no means complete, but it turned out much
better than what I thought it would.
So
here are the introductory pages. More information about this later.
To
God be the Glory!
Greg
Harris
THE FACE AND THE GLORY
Lessons on the
Invisible and Visible God
And His Glory
Dr. Greg Harris
© 2010 Gregory H.
Harris
To all the Lovers of God’s
Word,
especially to such students
as those whom I taught at
Washington Bible College
(1989-95),
Southeastern College at Wake
Forest/Southeastern
Baptist Theological Seminary
(1997-2006),
and The Master’s Seminary
(2006 up to the present)
But
He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see me and live.”
—Exodus
33:20
[God]
who alone possesses immortality and dwells in
unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.
—1
Timothy 6:16
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in
the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
—John
1:18
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(1) The
Enigma 1
(2) The
Face 7
(3) The
Peace 18
(4) The
Name 31
(5) The
Son 40
(6) The
Companion 56
(7) The
Hiding 64
(8) The Consideration 78
(9) The
Eyes 89
(10) The
Glory 99
"The Covenant"I wrote the following devotion for the end of Samuel/Kings/Chronicles class at The Master's Seminary. We were in 1 Samuel 16-31. I find this text warmly encouraging and convicting. I hope you do as well.
To God be the Glory!
THE COVENANT
Dr. Greg Harris
The Master’s Seminary
Copyright 2009
After David defeated the Philistine giant Goliath (1 Sam. 17), the soul of King Saul’s son Jonathan “was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself” (1 Sam. 18:1). The same context states, “Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt” (1 Sam. 18:3-4).
When the fearful king found out that his own son had made a covenant with one that Saul himself considered an enemy who must be destroyed, then “Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, ‘You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die’” (1 Sam. 20:30-31).
What a fool, thought Saul, as all the Sauls of this world continue to think. You must fight, dig, and grab for all that is yours. The utter folly of freely and willingly handing over what you possess to another always creates a nauseating repulsion in the pits of their stomachs because such a release is so alien to the Sauls of this world. “Fool! Look at what you have! Look at what you could have! The entire world lies before you ready to be enjoyed to its fullest! Fools—utter fools! To humble yourself before one who some say will one day rule over Israel. A shepherd from Bethlehem? King over all Israel? Utter folly.”
Jonathan did not reason as his hard-hearted father did. He knew—no, make that, Jonathan accepted this as God’s ordained decree; acceptance is much stronger that a simple belief that can waver. Jonathan knew that David would be king over Israel. He also knew by faith that whatever he gave up he would receive back one hundredfold, added with the unspeakable presence of his beloved friend, and with the holy blessing of God Himself.
Jonathan’s total acceptance of God’s decree repeatedly shows in his actions. Instead of bringing about David’s death, and after multiple attempts at convincing his father the king that David was no true enemy (even to Jonathan’s own peril), Jonathan went to bring the heartbreaking news to the exiled David that all was not well: it was not safe for David to return to the King Saul’s court. Yet even in the midst of his own grief at what would amount to the loss of ongoing fellowship with beloved friend, even how he brought the news to David bears witness that he looked out for his heart-friend brother: “And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God. Thus he said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father shall not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.” So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house (1 Sam. 23:16-18). Both friends departed deeply saddened that day. They both had to accept by faith in God’s Word that this once-rejected king would ultimately one day reign over what was rightfully his.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the Jonathans of this world were blessed with having a friend like David, and all the David’s of this world had a friend like Jonathan? Would it not be blissful to enter into a covenant of love relationship with so deep a friend, and to enjoy your friend’s presence as well as the holy blessing of God?
In fact, we whom the Lord redeemed already have this—and much, much more.
We who are saved (especially in this context Gentiles) have had our status eternally changed because God saw fit to enter into a covenant relation with us: “remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2:12-13). No longer separated; no longer excluded; no longer strangers to the covenants of promise to those who are in Christ.
However, as good as any manmade covenant can be (such as the one Jonathan and David made), the covenants of God are always better because of our own sinful frailties and because of His own perfection. Accordingly, “Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant” (Heb. 7:22) for those who love Him and have entered into a covenant relationship with Him.
God not only gives His beloved a better covenant with a better guarantee in Christ Jesus, but also He gives rich promises of His future reward that He will one day give. To the faithful church in Philadelphia (and all other spiritually similar who love the Lord and have not gone home to be with Him yet), Jesus exhorts: “Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Rev. 2:25-29).
In the last promise given to the overcomers in Revelation 2-3, Jesus Himself promises, “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:21). If we had written these verses on our own accord, they would be blasphemy. The fact that Jesus makes these promises to us is sheer grace upon grace. His victory, His reward, He freely shares with those in Christ.
“I know you will be king over Israel (and all else), and I will be next to you.”
However, whoever enters into this covenant costs both parties dearly. It cost Jesus—and it costs us: “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:23-28). The self-examination of our own sins—and sinfulness—is a lifetime process and the least favorite part of the covenant for many believers. However, it is foundational to those who walk with the Holy King who also shepherds us into conformity with His image as we walk with him (Rom. 8:29; 12:1-2).
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for entering into a covenant relationship with me, one much stronger than the Mosaic Covenant, with a much deeper love than David and Jonathan had.
Please take my robe—the outer visible source of how people perceive me; a symbol of my physical status. Clothe me instead with your righteousness, grace and humility (Rev. 3:5; 1 Pet. 5:5).
Please take my armor—I expose my utter frailty—and utter sinfulness—as I give it to you. I do not do this naturally, Lord. As You so fully know, this goes against my nature. Undergird me, dear Heavenly Father, and help me do this. Teach me to look to You as my shield and refuge. “As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him (Ps. 18:30). “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great” (Ps. 18:35). “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him (Psa. 28:7).
“Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield” (Psa. 33:20).
Please take my sword and my bow—my perceived source of strength and hope for physical deliverance, I hand over to You. Teach me to know firsthand the power of God that is foolishness to the world (1 Cor. 1:24-25), and the freefall faith that knows “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with nobles, and inherit a seat of honor; for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and He set the world on them. He keeps the feet of His godly ones, but the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; for not by might shall a man prevail” (1 Sam. 2:8-9). Teach me to know firsthand that “the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few” (1 Sam. 14:6).
Cultivate in me the spiritual warrior’s mindset to see that my many weaknesses give you opportunity for You to show Your strength. When others come at me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin—or a mouth—help me to stand in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, for you, LORD, do not deliver by sword or by spear, for the battle is the LORD’s (1 Sam. 17:45, 47). Train me in “the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left” (2 Cor. 6:7).
Please take my belt—a source of security for me that holds everything together. Instead help me to appropriate the armor You have given me, having girded my loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod my feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which I will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. Help me to take up and implement “the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:14-17). Teach me to pray as well as the tremendous value—and privilege—of prayer (Eph. 6:18).
And please, Lord, once I have fully given these to you, please teach me how not to come looking for them again. Please keep me from seeking counterfeit replacements from the enemy, the world, and from within myself, for I know by experience that I am greatly biased toward doing so.
O Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end (Rev. 22:13), the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star” (Rev. 22:16), the Spirit and the bride are saying, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, Come!” (Rev. 22:17).
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:10), for I know You will be King, and I will be next to you (1 Sam. 23:17; Rev. 2:25-28; 3:21). Grace Upon Grace ReflectionsI generally keep a file of special letters and emails that I have received from different people about the books that are "sweet remembrances." I try not to wave them around; it would not be appropriate.
Every now and then I receive one that I think is so powerful in its witness, that it would help others. I received the following email a few weeks ago and have received permission from the author to share it with you.
To God Be the Glory!
Dr. Harris,
Around this time last year you spoke on the subject of suffering at my husband's (fiancee, at the time) Bible study. There was also a time of Q&A that you and Betsy were kind enough to do after. I was so deeply moved and encouraged by your testimonies that I wanted to "read on." Your book, The Cup and the Glory, was available for those interested in purchasing it. You graciously gave me a free copy after learning I had no money on me and I wanted to thank you again for that.
Planning a wedding and working overtime gave me little to no free time to read the book, so I temporarily put it aside until the appropriate time. Lonngren and I were married early January and by early March we learned we were five weeks pregnant with twins. We were ecstatic and started preparing prayerfully for them (e.g. that they would be saved at an early age, wisdom in raising them, etc).
At this point I was a full-time homemaker and finally had time to read and study The Cup and the Glory. I took my time digesting it, one page at a time. As I read through the first chapters your account of the loss of your twins came back to me. Only this time I was tuning in more, now that I was having twins. I must have read and re-read the story several times. I could not believe the magnitude of the trial, but was even more amazed that God had given you and Betsy such strength during a very painful time. I also could not help to put myself in that situation thinking that I would be absolutely devastated! Lord, would I be able to drink the cup? I wanted to be able to but, could I take it in really small doses Lord? God was working on my heart.
This spurred Lonngren and I to be praying more diligently for the Lord's will and our obedience to it. This was especially true since my first trimester was a rocky one with many false alarms. We were constantly reminded that the Lord gives and the Lord takes, and that the twins belong to God and we were only temporary caregivers. Reading your book also inspired me to do an in-depth study of First Peter, which I have had the opportunity to do. How rich it is!
This last week, my 17th week of pregnancy, I was on the last chapter of your book. While I was reading the final pages on God's glory, I put the book down to take a small break. As I stood up my water broke. I was in shock and could only cry out to my Father. Lonngren and I rushed to the hospital. Lord, please don't take our babies, I don't know if I could handle it, I would be devastated, please please don't take them! The Lord took our babies to be with Him on June 5. But before He did, at our amazement, he gave us the peace which surpasses all understanding. God poured out His grace on us that we were able to respond by submitting to His will and giving Him the glory that our twins were safely home. They are getting the royal treatment by standing in the presence of our Lord. Why would I selfishly want anything less for them by wanting them back with us on this sin-cursed earth? In a sense God had answered our prayer we had consistently prayed about saving them at a young age. He actually did better; He took them before they got to experience sin. What a privilege and blessing! Lonngren and I desperately look forward to eternity where we will get to see them again.
So I wanted to thank you Dr. Harris and to let you know that the small gift you gave me went a long way. Apart from the deep comfort His Word brought me, the Lord knew of another book that would minister to my heart in the midst of a difficult time. I now have a greater appreciation for and understanding of the perfecting, confirming, strengthening and establishing that He is doing in me as part of His grand plan. Blessed be His name!
For His glory,
Anna Taljaard Well, Here I SitAs many of you know, The Cup and the Glory existed for years and was passed around to about seventy countries before it was ever published. The writing of the book coincided with the advent of the Web and email, so it never would have been that widespread without the new technology tools. As many who have read the book know my "price" for distributing the book was prayer for me, and that they would send it on to someone they think needed it.
Since I also used the material at certain classes I taught at seminary and at various mission conferences and churches, and since I would receive letters and emails from many who ended up with it, I had either verbally or in written form communicated with thousands before and after the book was published. Every chapter ended up being many people's favorite chapter, and a lot of this was due to the circumstances in their lives. The numerous interactions gave me such a substantial base of comparison as I listened to people tell me things, and they would have no idea of previous conversations I had had with others. It made me much better at this because of this wealth of interaction.
I wrote this just to show the vast difference in interaction with others at the present time with The Darkness and the Glory, which was released on December 1, 2008. I had no idea how striking the very limited interaction about the new book would be to me. Of course, this will change over time, but it is something that greatly surprised me. John MacArthur was about the 20th person to read The Darkness and the Glory.
The Darkness and the Glory is one of the Shepherd Conference of Grace Community Church "give away books." I am supposed to do an interview this Thursday about the book. I am praying that God will bring things to mind that He wants because I do not thoroughly know this book yet like I do The Cup and the Glory. I know that may sound strange in that I did write the book, but it is not the same as the process for the first book. I don't know a quick way to prepare for the interview. Again, hopefully once I am into it, God will stir my remembrance.
I am doing a monthly study on The Darkness and the Glory with a blessed group of secretaries from Grace Community Church. It is my first group study since the book was published. We had previously studied The Cup and the Glory together, so they very familiar with the format. It has been most interesting to watch them as they study and to interact with them. They are up to the end of chapter four, "The Separation." With The Cup and the Glory, many of them had life experiences of their own cup and hardships. With The Darkness and the Glory, which deals with the cup that Jesus alone had to drink because no one else could, it has been a lot less vocal as a reverential awe and worship of what Jesus endured for us permeated our last session. There were still comments, of course, but when we look at what He endured, we see how far removed we are from Him, and often there are no words fit to express this. This is fitting and is as God intends and is at the heart of true worship.
I will keep you posted as I hear from people as sit on the sideline watch with interest how people respond to this book.
Grace and peace. Late January reflections (Bitter Sweet)Well, I guess it is time I updated the blog. Looks as though I have already blow my New Year's resolution on this one. Not at an excuse, but it really has been a whirlwind of activities: new book published, editing the third one, the start of the semester, beginning a teaching pastor position at a new church (more about all these later).
I always date when the books come out by when I first receive them. In this case, The Darkness and the Glory arrived to me on December 2, 2008. I was in the mountains of Georgia speaking at a church and had to wait until I got home to see them.
While in Georgia in late November, I received word the following from my wife Betsy and wrote the following email to those involved in the non-profit ministry:
Good morning, Beloved
After about a 10-year "wait until the time is right with God," The Darkness and the Glory will be shipped from the printers. It has already borne fruit, and for that I am extremely thankful and rejoicing in the Lord.
I found out yesterday that Bill Merrill, the lawyer for The Master's Seminary and College, fell over dead from a heart attack. He was in his forties; he left behind a wife and two teenage children. It has left me rejoicing for the above paragraph and "kicked in the stomach" stunned at the same time.
Indeed our days are numbered before the Lord, and Bill going home to be with God is no mistake, but we still grieve our losses until we are all home with the Lord.
I will miss him and our deepening friendship, and I will very much miss his expertise in being the brain trust behind the non-profit.
God bless you all.
Greg
Well, that should be enough for the time being.
More about The Darkness and the Glory soon. |
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