Only a Comma

Nine days ago, a friend passed away very suddenly.  I have been praying daily for her family and friends.  I have spent hours looking over her photographs, barely comprehending what has happened to this beautiful, talented, passionate young woman.  I have even dreamed that she was alive again, joking and laughing like before.  But such things will not bring her back.

And yet, a burning hope in my heart tells me that she is alive now, in the loving embrace of her Maker, and one day, I hope to see her again and tell her how dearly she has been missed in the meantime.

A Horrid Habit

Not that I’ve seen that many, but one of the more interesting horror movies that I’ve survived is the 2003 Korean film, A Tale of Two Sisters (the US remake is slated for release later this year), an artfully twisted, psychologically unsettling, ambiguous and menacing tragedy–in other words, a carnival for nerdy masochists who like to over-analyze things.

In particular, I remember being freaked out by one scene when Su-mi wakes up from a nightmare only to find the bloodied, broken-necked ghost of her mother limping grotesquely at far-from-break-neck speed toward the bed, where it/she appeared to give birth to a hand. 

What I found most disturbing about this scary scene was that it  occurred in broad daylight–and right after we all thought the worst was over!  What perversity is this?–that a girl can’t even wake up from a nightmare and seek safety in the morning sunshine?–that the viewer can’t even take a second to catch her breath before getting assailed by more morbid madness?

What Evangelism Isn’t

Evangelism: it’s not imposition, not personal testimony, not social action and public involvement, not apologetics, and even conversion, says Mark Dever in a recent article published by Christianity Today.

Notable quote: 
“When our eyes fall from God to humanity, social ills replace sin, horizontal problems replace the fundamental vertical problem between us and God, winning elections eclipses winning souls.”

Ecumenism

For the longest time, I had one of my favorite quotes by St. Augustine copied as the following: “In essentials, unity.  In nonessentials, liberty.  In all things, clarity.”

In actuality, that quote should read: “In essentials, unity.  In nonessentials, liberty.  In all things, charity.”

Oops!  Well, it’s good to have both clarity and charity now, isn’t it?

Slavery

Three years ago, I submitted a statement in which I reflected on some commonalities between my English and Religion majors.  In the statement, I claimed that religion shows us “to whom [we] belong.”

Unfortunately for me, the statement was rejected, and during a meeting with my advisor, he looked at me quizzically and exclaimed, “Your definition of religion is repugnant!–you make it sound like slavery!”

Two Turtles

“On my door there’s a cartoon of two turtles.  One says, ‘Sometimes I’d like to ask why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice when He could do something about it.’  The other turtle says, ‘I’m afraid God might ask me the same question.’” – Peter Kreeft

Gospel Ethics

Ethics is the study of what is good, right, and worthy of pursuit.  It deals with what human beings ought to desire, do, and be.  In one of my favorite survey classes at Amherst College, I got to examine the nature, methods, and purposes of Christian ethics. 

This is my final paper for that class: Gospel Ethics

Here’s My Heart

The emblem of Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Michigan) depicts a person’s right hand, raised heavenward, holding up his heart as an offering to the Lord.  The Latin version of the inscription is prompte et sincere cor meum tibi offero Domine.

Two Prayers

 

Prayer of a Confederate Solider 

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health, that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy,
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for
–but everything I had hoped for.

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among men, most richly blessed.

Found on the body of a Confederate Soldier (1861-1865)

Through a Telescope

There are two ways to look through a telescope: from one end and from the other.  When pointing a telescope to the night heavens, we may behold dazzling visions of planets and constellations if we would but look through the right end.  The wrong end, however, yields a whole lot of frustrating and rather boring darkness.