“‘Take your time,’ the books whispered to me in their dusty voices. ‘We’re not going anywhere.'” ~ N.Carr

That was just a digital dalliance [That is, spending time in the computer room while a student at Dartmouth College]. For every hour I passed in Kiewit [the computer room], I must have spent two dozen next door in Baker [the main library at Dartmouth].  I crammed for exams in the library’s cavernous reading room, looked up facts in the weighty volumes on the reference shelves, and worked part-time checking books in and out at the circulation desk. Most of my library time, though, went to wandering the long, narrow corridors of the stacks. Despite being surrounded by tens of thousands of books, I don’t remember feeling the anxiety that’s symptomatic of what we today call “information overload.” There was something calming in the reticence of all those books, their willingness to wait years, decades even, for the right reader to come along and pull them from their appointed slots. Take your time, the books whispered to me in their dusty voices. We’re not going anywhere.

This wonderful, personal description of the powerful influence of libraries and books comes from Nicholas Carr’s The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains (Norton, 2010), p.12.

We will have more to say on the powerful message of this book later (one Prof. B. Gritters read and recommended this summer), but for now relish the serene and soothing experience of the world of books and the library. 🙂

Prayers for the New School Year – Samuel Johnson

I have posted here before prayers appropriate for the beginning of the new school year, and with the start of our Seminary semester yesterday and the start of many Christian schools last week and this week, it it fitting to do so again.

Recently I came across a prayer of Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) in the book Acceptable Words: Prayers for the Writer (Eerdmans, 2012). That prompted me to search for more, which I was able to find  online here.

I hope that you find these prayers to be profitable, whether you are a student or a parent, a teacher or a professor, a librarian or a laborer.

This brief one is quoted in Acceptable Words:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, without whose help labour is useless, without whose light search is vain, invigorate my studies, and direct my inquiries, that I may, by due diligence and right discernment, establish myself and others in thy Holy Faith.

Take not, O Lord, thy Holy Spirit from me; let not evil thought have dominion in my mind. Let me not linger in ignorance, but enlighten and support me, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This one is titled “Before Any New Study”:

ALMIGHTY God, in whose hands are all the powers of man, who givest understanding, and takest it away; who, as it seemeth good unto Thee, enlightenest the thoughts of the simple, and darkenest the meditations of the wise, be present with me in my studies and enquiries.

Grant, O Lord, that I may not lavish away the life which Thou hast given me on useless trifles, nor waste it in vain searches after things which Thou hast hidden from me. Enable me, by thy Holy Spirit so to shun sloth and negligence, that every day may discharge part of the task which Thou hast allotted me; and so further with thy help that labour which, without thy help, must be ineffectual, that I may obtain, in all my undertakings, such success as will most promote thy glory, and the salvation of my own soul, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

And when we fail to be diligent in our tasks and studies, this daily prayer is certainly fitting (“After Time Negligently and Unprofitably Spent”) :

O LORD, in whose hands are life and death, by whose power I am sustained, and by whose mercy I am spared, look down upon me with pity. Forgive me, that I have this day neglected the duty which Thou hast assigned to it, and suffered the hours, of which I must give account, to pass away without any endeavour to accomplish thy will, or to promote my own salvation.

Make me to remember, O God, that every day is thy gift, and ought to be used according to thy command. Grant me, therefore, so to repent of my negligence, that I may obtain mercy from Thee, and pass the time which thou shalt yet allow me, in diligent performance of thy commands, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Challenges Faced by Seminary Students: Interview with Ligon Duncan

The August Tabletalk includes an interview feature with Dr. J. Ligon Duncan, chancellor and John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary.

Among the questions he was asked – and answered well – was the one below, about incoming seminary students and the challenges of the studies for the ministry. With the PRC Seminary opening its doors today, his thoughts make for a timely post.

In light of what he says (and there is much more!), do remember to pray for the students (and professors!) as they take up their studies with a view to the ministry, whether for the first time or for a new semester. And don’t forget our interns who are out in the churches for the first part of their final year!

TT: What is the most common misconception that students entering seminary have about their education? What direction would you give them in light of this misconception?

LD: Students are often unaware of the kinds of difficulties and challenges that await them in seminary. They may anticipate three or four years of spiritual retreat, and when the reality that they encounter doesn’t look like that, they get discouraged.

So, for instance, one of the great challenges of seminary is that we combine rigorous academic study with discipleship for personal spiritual growth and practical preparation. These are hard to do simultaneously and they present challenges to seminarians. Those who struggle with academics can become discouraged (even though they may be godly and naturally adept at important aspects of ministry). Those who are good at academics can struggle with pride (and fail to understand that good grades do not necessarily translate into ministerial effectiveness and fruitfulness).

Combine this with the fact that many seminarians are struggling to make ends meet, working multiple jobs, depending on spouses to work, rearing children, and trying to serve in the local church, and they can feel (and truly are) pulled in a thousand directions. Spiritual struggles can easily ensue in this situation.

To prepare for this, (1) seminarians need a supportive local church and good pastoral care; (2) they need to be aware of these challenges ahead of time; and (3) they ought to read preparatory books such as The Religious Life of Theological Students by B.B. Warfield, Preparation for Ministry by Allan Harman, and How to Stay Christian in Seminary by David Mathis.

To read the rest of the interview, use the Ligonier link below.

Source: Leading an Institution: An Interview with Ligon Duncan by Ligon Duncan

Sunday Meditation: Divine Mercies

Our Sunday worship (personal, family, and corporate) thoughts for reflection come from the Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions (Banner of Truth, c.1975).

We have been slowly working our way through the first section titled “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” and this next one is taken from there too. It is simply titled “Divine Mercies.”

May it help lead us into great thoughts of God and His mercies to us in His Son, even as we confess our manifold sins to Him in humble contrition.

Divine Mercies

 THOU ETERNAL GOD,
Thine is surpassing greatness, unspeakable
goodness, super-abundant grace;
I can as soon count the sands of ocean’s ‘lip’
as number Thy favors towards me;
I know but a part, but that part exceeds all praise.

I thank Thee for personal mercies,
a measure of health, preservation of body,
comforts of house and home, sufficiency of food
and clothing,
continuance of mental powers,
my family, their mutual help and support,
the delights of domestic harmony and peace,
the seats now filled that might have been vacant,
my country, church, Bible, faith.

But, O, how I mourn my sin, ingratitude, vileness,
the days that add to my guilt,
the scenes that witness my offending tongue;
All things in heaven, earth, around, within, without,
condemn me—
the sun which sees my misdeeds,
the darkness which is light to thee,
the cruel accuser who justly charges me,
the good angels who have been provoked to leave
me,
Thy countenance which scans my secret sins,
Thy righteous law, Thy holy Word,
my sin-soiled conscience, my private and
public life,
my neighbors, myself—
all write dark things against me.
I deny them not, frame no excuse, but confess,
‘Father, I have sinned’;

Yet still I live, and fly repenting to Thy outstretched
arms;
Thou wilt not cast me off, for Jesus brings me near,
Thou wilt not condemn me, for He died in
my stead,
Thou wilt not mark my mountains of sin,
for He leveled all,
and His beauty covers my deformities.

O my God, I bid farewell to sin by clinging
to His cross,
hiding in His wounds, and sheltering in His side.

The Medium is the Message: How We Read and How It Affects Us

Yet another article on the ebook vs. the physical book debate?

Yes, but this one is more than that too. This article from the past week (posted August 24, 2016) calls for ebooks and modern technology to master its form so as to encourage more reading in a variety of ways, even as we recognize now that the physical book is here to stay.

The author has some points worth considering, even as I continue to embrace both forms of reading (But you should know my personal preference by now). Case in point: on this rainy Saturday in West Michigan I did some Kindle reading this morning, and then headed out to a local Christian thrift store to browse the books. I walked away with a bag of paperback and hardcover treasures (75% for the Seminary library, it turns out!). It has been a good day for books and reading. I trust for you too.

To read the article by John Bradley, visit the link below. What follows is his opening paragraph and a later one:

New technology masquerading as an old standby sets itself up for failure. Carrying a Kindle in your jacket pocket is certainly simpler than juggling all seven hardback volumes of In Search of Lost Time. But, if the only problem the Kindle sought to solve was luggage space, paperbacks and carryons have long since done the trick. E-readers, and by extension modern technology needs to play to its strengths.

…The common refrain for lovers of the printed word, is that the feel, the heft of a book is what draws their delight. How else to describe the difference between your Nook copy of Infinite Jest and the paperback edition, scuffed and shredded to death from countless bus rides, clipped together and written over throughout, a Field Notes notebook taped to back cover to keep up with characters—speaking from personal experience, there’s hardly a better way to read such a tome.

 

Source: The Medium is the Message: How We Read and How It Affects Us – The Wild Detectives

The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks

This year the U.S. National Park system is celebrating its 100-year anniversary. Google (“Arts and Culture”) has put together a spectacular video presentation on the “hidden worlds” of these parks. In their words, “Follow rangers on an immersive 360° journey through the Hidden Worlds of our National Parks.”

So, on this Friday – the last of our summer vacation – we will take a fine tour of our national parks. Get ready for an incredible hike and some outstanding scenes!

Source: The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks

Note to Self: Speak to Others

(Recall the last one was “Listen to Others.”)

Begin by reading and reflecting on Hebrews 3:12-13.

Dear Self,

Are you connected to others in such a way that affords you opportunities to speak into their lives? Just as God has put people near you to speak to you for your God, so he has intended to use you to speak words of grace to others. The questions are – are you connected, and are you speaking?

…At times you feel as if you have little to say, or that your words are too simple and not deep enough. But when you doubt that you have anything to offer, you question God’s ability to use you beyond your own weakness. Your usefulness in the lives of others is not dependent on your intellectual or creative abilities, though God will use your talents whatever they are. Your usefulness to God and his people is connected with your dependence on God and his Word and your love for his people.

The people around you need to hear from you. Share God’s Word with those who need to hear it.

Taken from Chap.24 “Speak to Others” (found in Part Two, “The Gospel and Others”) in Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself by Joe Thorn (Crossway, 2011), pp.85-86.

Saturday’s Tornadoes and Our Seminary

On Saturday, August 20, 2016, West Michigan was hit by some powerful storms, which included 2-3 inches of driving rain, fierce winds, and a number of small tornadoes. One, in fact, touched down near the PRC Seminary and caused some minor damage – not to the building but to the property.

We lost two noteworthy trees – the last large crabtree in the front and our large apple tree in the back. Both missed hitting the building – the crabtree fell to the west and the apple tree to the north (if it had fallen south, it would have struck the building).

In addition, many large branches came down in the woods around us, including two near the south side of our parking lot. And there was debris everywhere, littering the parking lot, driveway, and grounds.

We also lost power for a day, but that was restored late Saturday night already. Phone and Internet were restored yesterday late in the afternoon. So, today, we have returned to normal – for the most part. There is still some cleanup to do and some decisions to be made on the crabtree.

We are thankful that the Lord of the storm (Yes, Jesus Christ marched through our area!) spared us more serious damage and that there was no loss of life due to the storms. But many suffered much more devastation to property (You may read about this at this local news link or this one). We are also grateful for those who work to clean up and to restore essential services in our area.

Last night, the Lord also gave us a wonderful sign of His faithful covenant Word. My wife captured this on her phone as we came home from church and our daughter’s home through the muck fields south of us. It was amazing!

Just as we stood in awe of God’s power in the storm Saturday, so we stood in awe of His comforting peace last night. God is great. And good. To His own. In His Son. Shall we praise Him in the storms and in the calms of creation and life?

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Are We Living by the Bible’s Authority? – Prof. R. Cammenga

Our food for thought on this Lord’s Day come from an article by Prof. Ronald Cammenga that appeared in the August 2016 issue of the Standard Bearer (vol.92, #19). It is part of the “Taking Heed to the Doctrine” rubric and belongs to a series he is doing on revelation, inspiration, and infallibility in connection with the doctrine of Scripture.

Here are his closing thoughts on the matter of the Bible’s authority:

I doubt that very few, if anyone, who reads this article would disagree with the teaching that the Bible is the supreme authority in the church and in the life of the believer.  We all confess that by virtue of our subscription to the Reformed confessions.  But what about practically?  On a practical level, do we honor the authority of Scripture?  We all ought to examine ourselves.  The Bible says that we are to seek first the kingdom of heaven, believing that God will take care of our earthly needs.  Do we seek first in our lives the kingdom of heaven.  The Bible says that we are not to set our heart upon riches, earthly fame, or glory among men.  Have we set our hearts on riches, earthly fame, or glory among men?  The Bible calls us to live in the world, but not be one with the world.  Do we live antithetically, in the world while not of the world; or, are we friends with the children of this world and run with them in the same excess of riot (I Peter 4:4)?  The Bible calls us to honor our parents and all who are in authority over us.  Do we honor those through whom it pleases God to govern our lives?  The Bible calls us to date and marry in the Lord.  Are we dating and do we intend to marry in the Lord?  The Lord calls us to live chastely and temperately in this present evil world, and not give ourselves to indulgence in sexual uncleanness.  Do we strive to live out of the conviction that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit?  The Bible calls us to live faithfully in marriage; it calls husbands to love their wives and wives to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord.  Are we living faithfully in our marriages?  Do we as husbands love, nourish, and cherish our wives?  And do we as wives reverence, submit to, and assist our husbands in all things?

It is one thing to subscribe to the truth of Scripture’s sole authority.  It is quite another thing to live in such a way that we submit to Scripture’s authority.  May God give us the needed grace to honor this first and outstanding perfection of Scripture.

Seminary Critters in 2016 (1)

It has been a bit since I did a Seminary animal feature, so today for our “Friday Fun” item I will give you a few of the critters we have seen this Spring and Summer.

It is always a marvel to me how much of God’s beautiful creation we are privileged to see in our little acreage here. The heavens declare God’s glory, but so do birds and turtles and deer. Enjoy!

And, in case you have not seen the nice, new landscape in the front of Seminary (thanks to Brad Gritters and crew!), here are a couple of photos of that, including a stormy sky last month.