A Few Good Reads

“We Lost a Child and Gained Something Greater“
The heartbreaking story by Kyle Porter about the birth of his family’s third child, a stillborn daughter. He captures both the heartbreak and hope they encountered as they walked through this unspeakable difficulty. I am not engaging in hyperbole when I say this is the most moving piece I have ever read. “Heaven is more at the forefront of my life because of that week. We have talked about it more. It is a place I think about. It is a place I want to be. Not to see the girl I lost although that will be a good thing. But it is a pale and pathetic thing compared to seeing in full the God who willingly chose that which I would never dream of choosing. I want to meet my daughter, yes, but what I really long for is to meet the Father who gave his son.”

“Legalism in the SBC”
Mark Jones, who no one could accuse of being a libertine, picks up on a 2006 Southern Baptist Convention resolution passed on Alcohol at the Annual Meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina. He works through the text of the resolution and demonstrates how its language treats Christians as if they are still in the flesh instead of filled with the Spirit. There are a couple of points where I think Jones overstates his case, but in general his point is well-taken. “Strong language is required when legalism is involved, especially against those who should know better (per biblical example). Sex is not necessarily fornication; eating is not necessarily gluttony; sleeping is not necessarily laziness; and drinking alcohol is not necessarily drunkenness.”

“My Preferred Way to Read the Bible”
Jim Elliff advocates reading sections of Scripture several weeks or months in a row to be much more familiar with it. There is much wisdom in his approach. “So what do I mean by saturation or immersion in the Bible? Simply this: Choose a book (or two) of the Bible and soak yourself in it by reading and re-reading it numerous times. As an illustration, you may wish to begin with a small book of the Bible like Philippians, First Timothy, First Peter or others. You can read this book daily for five days each week (two days are left for catch-up). It will not take you long. You may do this for several months reading it through as many as 50 times. Do you think you will know something about the book by then?”

Destiny and Power
Jon Meacham’s new biography of George H.W. Bush offers great insight into the life of our 41st President. He was President during my late middle and early high school years, so it has been hard for me to separate my remembrance of him from Dana Carvey’s impersonation. Thankfully, Meacham returns us to the human Bush who excelled in the Navy, at Yale, in business, in family, and in politics. He also offers insight into some of the immense personal heartaches Bush knew through the years, particularly the death of his three-year old daughter Robin.