Learning Letters and Gospel Sanctification

Mike Leake

My son is learning to write his letters.  Some he has mastered better than others and some are simply unrecognizable. 

He has a little book that we use as a guide (also a program on his LeapFrog has been helping).  This little book has a letter that he observes, then he traces it, and then to the right he tries it on his own. 

isaiah letters

I realize that my son’s letter writing skills are a picture of sanctification.  Christ is the guide (the letter in its correct and perfect form).  What my son does in freehand is his attempt to copy the guide.  My life is a reflection of that.  As I fix my eyes upon Christ, his character and his person, my life sometimes looks like Isaiah’s letter “f” or “m”.  Still imperfect but looking more like the guide.  And sometimes there is a ton of work that still needs to be done, like Isaiah’s letter “k” or “g”.

But there is another thing to learn from this.  Check out Isaiah’s letter “R” when he isn’t focusing on his guide:

isaiah r

 

Notice the difference?  That’s what happens in my life when I try to live in holiness apart from my model.  Of course in reality Jesus is much more than simply a guide; He wraps His life around my little hands’ pursuit of holiness. 

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For this idea I’m indebted to Stuart Scott in his book The Exemplary Husband: A Biblical Perspective. 

Sweet Sixteen!

Mike Leake

Thanks to your voting Borrowed Light made it into the Sweet 16 of the SBC Blog Madness.  I am, to be honest, shocked and absolutely honored to be voted into the sweet 16.  I appreciate every vote that you cast and now gently exhort you to VOTE AGAIN!!!!!!!!

I’m going against Founders Ministries, Ed Stetzer, and B21.  The fact that I’m even considered in the same category as these giants is humbling to say the least. 

My goal for this round…don’t be dead last.  You can help me achieve that inspiring goal by going to SBC Voices (Round 2) and casting your vote for Borrowed Light in the Southeast Division.

If King David Blogged In Our World

Mike Leake

King David wakes up from his royal slumber.  The dreary-eyed David checks his email. 

14 new messages. 

After deleting all of the male enhancement products, requests from Nigerian princes, and chain letters about loving Jesus and America Israel he reads this gem:

—–

Subject: You Suck!

Dearest King David,

I heartily disagree with your theology.  RANT, RANT, RANT, RANT, a few true statements, A COUPLE STABS AT YOUR CHARACTER, bless your heart.

Sincerely,

Joe Troll. 

—–

Now what happens in our day? 

King David hits reply and plays some serious defense.

Subject: You are in Error!  And I Suck Less than You!

Thanks for reading my blog.  Rather than listen to any positive criticism or truth that may be in what you are saying I am going to ignore this.  Instead of actually applying the gospel to my heart I am instead going to defend myself.  You have attacked my performance and I cannot handle that.  Therefore, I am going to pick your argument apart and display for all the world to see that you sir are an idiot, and I suck much less than you do.  Also NEVER question my theology.  I can’t handle that either.  So please respond with something that I am sure to also not listen to, so that we can talk around each other for all the watching world to see. 

King David after my own heart.

——

You know what?  David actually had all sorts of junk a million times worse in his life.  His own son wanted to kill him.  David didn’t blog about it.  David didn’t defend himself.  He pleaded with the Lord:

O LORD, how many are my foes!
        Many are rising against me;
     many are saying of my soul,
        there is no salvation for him in God. Selah
    But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
        my glory, and the lifter of my head.
     I cried aloud to the LORD,
        and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
    I lay down and slept;
        I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
     I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
        who have set themselves against me all around.
    Arise, O LORD!
        Save me, O my God!
    For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
        you break the teeth of the wicked.
    Salvation belongs to the LORD;
        your blessing be on your people! Selah
(Psalm 3 ESV)

David didn’t hit reply.  He went to sleep and trusted that the LORD would vindicate him.  And of course this is only reflecting the Greater David who was silent when mocked.  Jesus didn’t hit reply, either.  He endured the Cross know that the Father would vindicate him (the resurrection).

I have a ton to learn from David.  Obviously, even more to learn from Jesus.  Because he did speak sometimes.  He defended His gospel against the Pharisees.  He fought heresy.  He tackled demons.  But he also endured persecution.  Sometimes he was silent.  I pray that the LORD gives me the grace to take criticism well.  To be silent when I should and speak when I should. 

More than anything I pray that the gospel goes deep enough into my heart that I can go to sleep instead of feeling like I need to hit “reply”.