A Lifetime of Devotion

Part 2 (Part 1 is below)

In my last post, I wrote of the importance of marriage, and suggested from the Scriptures some of the various facets of God’s purpose and design for marriage.  Perhaps the single most specific chapter in the Bible that discusses singleness, marriage, divorce and remarriage, all in one place, is 1 Corinthians, chapter 7.  For the purposes of this post, I have chosen not to attempt to explain the entire chapter as I tried to do in my LIFE class.  Here in this brief version I merely want to touch on the aspects of this chapter that seem to me to be overlooked most often.

Paul the apostle begins that section of the letter by answering questions the Corinthian believers had asked of him.  There was good reason for them to ask questions regarding marriage:

• Various false teachings had probably influenced the believers at Corinth to question guidelines for Christian marriage and sexual relationships. Some pre-Gnostic teaching had argued that all physical matter was bad, and therefore that all sexual activity—even within marriage—was wrong. (See 1 Timothy 4.1-5)
  
• Apparently several types of legally-recognized marriages (under Roman authority) existed at the time, including tent companionships for slaves, common law marriage, the sale of one's daughter to a prospective husband, and a nobility class type of marriage.
  
• Some people had become followers of Jesus and perhaps wondered what this new relationship meant with regard to their marriages.

Paul’s intent was to refocus the struggling believers with a radical concept for first century Greek-Roman culture: commitment, in lasting devotion, that ultimately reflects the glory of God.  God’s word speaks frankly to us about sexual relationships and about God’s plan with regard to singleness, marriage, divorce and remarriage.

As seen in 1 Corinthians, chapter 7, what God desires from us is a lifetime of devotion.

1.  A lifetime of marriage reflects a calling from God (vv. 17-24).

To understand what Paul is talking about in this section, we have to understand his idea of a calling.  The word "calling" is often misused today, even if well intentioned.  When Paul uses the term, he often speaks of a holistic approach—one that encompasses every area of our lives.  So when Paul talks about his calling, he seems to imply his salvation, allegiance to God, and even specific ministry assignments which God has given him.  Notice how he uses the term calling in the following sentences.

He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own works but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began.  Now, however, it has been revealed through the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and through the gospel has brought life and release from death into full view.  For the sake of this gospel I was appointed to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
2 Timothy 1.9-11 (ISV)

So, when Paul talks about a calling in 1 Corinthians 7.17-24, we have to realize he probably means more than salvation alone, or even a vocation or career alone.  In fact, it appears that he is talking about the whole person—all that God called you to be.

In this regard, it is a little bit easier to understand why he uses the illustrations of circumcision and slavery.  Certainly, without having an understanding of the cultural context, these ideas might be confusing.  But first century readers understood what Paul was talking about.  He was speaking with reference to an individual's particular current status in life.  He does not take the time to explain to non-Jews the perhaps confusing nature of circumcision, nor does he launch into an excursus on the social ills of the practice of slavery (although he makes sure to note that if a slave has the opportunity to be freed, he should happily take it!).  He simply says for the point of this discussion, "as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk."

Paul is encouraging them not to be obsessed with changing their status.  Instead, the point is, now that God has called you, live out your calling wherever you are in life.  Twice he says (7.20, 7.24), each one should "remain in that calling in which he was called."  And the immediate preceding context is that of staying married even in tough circumstances.  God's goal for us is not that we would be absorbed in trying to change our status or condition or calling, but instead that we would grow with Him in whatever place we find ourselves.

So unless you are called to singleness, marriage is an aspect of our calling from God, and He desires that we would demonstrate to others—through the lifetime of devotion in marriage—our lifetime of devotion to Him.  A lifetime of marriage reflects a calling from God.

2. A lifetime of singleness reflects a commitment to God (vv. 1-9; 25-40).

Paul has much to say about singleness in 1 Corinthians 7.  He first speaks of singleness at the beginning of the chapter in terms of abstaining from sex.  He says that abstaining from sex is good, but not so simple (vv. 1-2).  It is certainly an honorable thing if you never marry and thus never have a sexual relationship with anyone; however it is not easy at all for human beings to keep their passions in check (see v. 9).  He then says that abstaining from sex is a gift, but only for singles (vv. 3-9).  Abstaining in singleness is so honorable that Paul even considers it a gift from God for those who possess it (including himself); however, for those who are married, sex within marriage is God’s design, and abstaining within marriage should be limited to reasons dealing with spiritual growth.

I believe that a part of what Paul is doing in this chapter is to raise the perceptions of the value of singleness—if that is in fact one's gift and calling.  Later in the chapter, Paul outlines several arguments for staying single:

• Problems in the world (vv. 25-27)
• Difficulties of married life (v. 28)
• The passing nature of this life (vv. 29-31)
• Preoccupations in marriage (vv. 32-35)
• Problems with parental consent (vv. 36-38)
• The binding covenant of marriage (vv. 39-40)

So his point is not to minimize marriage, nor to minimize singleness.  Instead, he elevates both, and encourages his readers to pursue whatever gift and calling God has given individually to each one.  For most people, it seems, marriage is their calling.  However, if one's gift happens to be singleness, Paul argues that he or she is able to be undistracted in devotion to the Lord.  A lifetime of singleness reflects a commitment to God.

3. A lifetime of faithfulness reflects the compassion of God (vv. 8-16).

It is unfortunate that so many Christians miss the power of what Paul describes here.  He encourages those who are married to stay married, and even specifically says that a believer who is married to a nonbeliever should remain married, because of the positive influence the believer may have on his or her spouse.

Paul could have been writing to a variety of situations that existed then and now.  Perhaps there were some situations where believers had married nonbelievers.  In other cases, perhaps two nonbelievers were married, and then one of the two came to faith in Christ.  And there may have been still other situations where two believers married, and but later one of the two decided to abandon the faith.

From the way Paul answers their questions, it seems they were asking about reasons they thought might warrant their leaving their spouses.  For example, in light of present difficulties (7.26), perhaps they wondered if they should no longer consider themselves married—except with respect to being "married to Christ."  But Paul says they should consider their fidelity to their spouses in the highest regard.  As long as the nonbeliever desires to remain married, he says, then the believing spouse should not pursue divorce, because he or she might be able to point the nonbelieving spouse to God.  The bond of marriage is extremely important, and Paul is careful to remind his readers about the significance of faithfulness in that bond.  In the letter to the Romans, look how he uses marriage to illustrate the principle of being "bound."

Don't you realize, brothers—for I am speaking to people who know the Law—that the Law can press its claims over a person only as long as he is alive?  For a married woman is bound by the Law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the Law concerning her husband.  So while her husband is living, she will be called an adulterer if she lives with another man.  But if her husband dies, she is free from this Law, so that she is not an adulterer if she marries another man.
Romans 7.1-3 (ISV)

Faithfulness to one's nonbelieving spouse can serve as a huge—and perhaps  primary—influence on that spouse to help keep them from further sin, and to help point them to the grace and compassion of the Savior.  A lifetime of faithfulness reflects the compassion of God.

Ultimately, marriage was instituted and designed to show us, as we mentioned in the previous post, God's loving, permanent relationship with His chosen ones—those who would place their faith and trust in Him.  To put it another way, marriage shows us the gospel.  Notice this wonderful principle in the letter to the Ephesians:

…For we are parts of his body—of his flesh and of his bones.  “That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”  This is a great secret, but I am talking about Christ and the church.  But each individual man among you must love his wife as he loves himself, and a wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5.30-33 (ISV)

Although it's never easy, a lifetime of devotion and faithfulness, whether in marriage or singleness, reflects the glory of God to a world that is watching.

So, What's the Big Deal about Marriage?

Part 1

For readers outside my LIFE class at our church, this post (and some subsequent ones) may need a brief explanation.  In the class we are looking into what is happening in our culture and in what some have called Christian subculture, with regard to the shift away from marriage as it has been defined for centuries.  One recent example that occurred after our study began comes to us from California.  When four individuals on the state Supreme Court can redefine marriage for the entire state, it should cause us to pay attention and to graciously respond.

As our class delves into this topic, we plan also to examine singleness and dating, and what is best for society when it comes to divorce and remarriage.  If we are indeed ambassadors for Jesus, then with careful attention to how Christians act in the world today, we want to thoughtfully consider how these areas impact the perception of God in society.

Each week in class I lead off these messages with a statement of hope, not condemnation.  As we look at the Scriptures to see what God intends, we also immediately acknowledge that the vast majority of us have been affected in an adverse way either by broken relationships, abandonment, emotional separation, or divorce—all against a cultural backdrop that devalues meaningful sexual relationships that last.  The purpose for our class study, and for publishing these thoughts here, is not at all to condemn, but to provide hope.  It is the hope of genuine, fulfilled, joyful life with God through Christ.  It is the hope of grace, mercy, forgiveness and restoration.  It is the hope for a new day.

So, what is the big deal about marriage, and why do followers of Christ care so much about the institution of marriage?  We believe that ultimately God’s purpose for marriage is that His glory would be portrayed to a watching world.

God's Purpose for Marriage: His Glory Portrayed

Here is a basic definition.  Marriage is, and always has been, intended to be a lifelong covenant relationship in which the glory of God is portrayed in the joining together of one man and one woman for life, as they grow together in oneness and unity through love and respect (Genesis 2.15-25, 15.7-18; Malachi 2.14-16; Matthew 5.31-32, 19.1-12; 1 Corinthians 7.1-40; Ephesians 5.15-33).  Listed below are some of the various facets of God’s purpose and design for marriage, with some scriptural clarifications.

1. To demonstrate the gospel in the permanent relationship of God with His chosen ones
   
   
   • Ephesians 5.15-33: As shown by the analogy of Jesus Christ as groom, and the church (all genuine believers in Christ) as the bride
     
   • Genesis 15.7-18: As shown in the beginning of God's covenant with Abram (who became Abraham)
     
     
2. To mirror the image of God
   
   
   • Genesis 1.26-27: To demonstrate their mutual value, both men and women are created in the image of God
     
   • Genesis 2.15-25: The image of God, then, is also portrayed uniquely in marital oneness as man and woman are joined together
     
     
3. To complete and compliment (and at times compensate for) each other as husband and wife, and to experience companionship
   
   
   • Genesis 2.18-20: To demonstrate their complementary qualities, in the beginning, God designed a woman for the man who would be a helper corresponding to the man (translated into English, the Hebrew reads "...a helper corresponding to..." or "...a helper next to...")
     
   • 1 Corinthians 11.11-12: At a very basic level, men need women and women need men
     
     
4. To promote holiness and purity
   
   
   • 1 Corinthians 7.1-9: God designed sexual intimacy to be wonderfully enjoyed in the special covenant of marriage
     
   • Romans 1.26-27: To preserve the pattern of God's design for the healthy pleasure inherent in marriage, God intends that sexual intimacy would not take place outside of a covenant relationship between one man and one woman
     
     
5. To multiply a godly legacy
   
   
   • Genesis 1.28, 9.1, 9.7: Procreation to populate the earth
     
   • Deuteronomy 6.1-25; Ephesians 6.4: Affirmation of God’s word and work from generation to generation, training children in His ways
     

Often misunderstood by many today, God's design for marriage was never intended to put a restraint on us for the sake of killing our joy.  Far from that, His intended design has always been for His glory, and for our good.  When we treat marriage the way God designed it, He provides an exquisite joy for us—in Him, and as husbands and wives.  And therein is great hope!

The Shack?

At the outset, I must admit that I have not yet read the book, The Shack, by William P. Young.  But recently while in a large gathering I was attending, the speaker recommended the book with unspecified caveats.  I was curious and perhaps even intrigued at the speaker's enthusiasm for the book, and thought I should promptly check it out.  With other books on my to-be-read list, I thought maybe I would try to find a good review or two, to see what made the book so special.  One such review actually found me.

I was forwarded (hat tip: Blake Derrick) a review by Tim Challies.  His review is well worth your time.  On his blog he has posted a brief explainer, and then his review in PDF format.  With care and respect, Challies writes a cogent piece wherein he specifies several points at which The Shack, even in its genre of fiction, communicates an understanding of God that seems foreign to the Bible.  Perhaps Young never intended to write a theological treatise.  But whatever his intent, when people are seeking to understand God through The Shack instead of The Bible, we have a problem.

If you have read the book or plan to read it, I encourage you to take the time to read Challies' review.  Even if you do not agree with everything in Challies' wording or argumentation, his central warning is well placed.  He calls the book "dangerous," due to the extent of error.  Quoting from the book in several instances, he articulates problems in what Young communicates about God in the theological concepts of revelation, salvation, and the Trinity.

Both Al Mohler and Mark Driscoll agree in calling parts of the book heresy, so you know that major lines of orthodoxy appear to have been crossed.

When I disagree over a book's premise or content, I usually let it go.  However, of grave concern to me is the widespread appeal, not of the fictional story, but of the perceived theology of this book (just check out the many "this changed my life" and "this is the best explanation of the Holy Trinity" reviews on Amazon.com).  As of this writing, the book is #8 on Amazon's sales rank list.  It has become a phenomenon of sorts, and thus I sensed the need to flag these concerns here.

reThink Conference 08 Notes

UPDATE: Alex Chediak has posted all notes.  Here is Session 1 (Leon Tucker), Session 2 (David Horner), Session 3 (Dave Owen), Session 4 (Steve Wright), and Session 5 (Randy Stinson).

Original post follows.

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As mentioned in an earlier post, Providence Student Ministries Pastor Steve Wright has written a book titled, reThink (check here for details).  The convictions that inspired that book also initiated reThink Conference 08, which was hosted today at Providence.

Here is the purpose for the meeting from the conference's registration website:

The reThink Conference is for youth pastors, pastors, education pastors, parents and youth leaders who desire a greater biblical understanding of how the two primary institutions that God has established in the Bible—the family and the church—work together in the context of youth ministry.

Today's conference was sponsored by Providence, Two Institutions, and InQuest Ministries.

If you missed the conference, my new friend Alex Chediak has offered you a valuable resource: he live-blogged the conference, which means extensive notes will soon be available for you.  He even flew in from California to join us for the event.  At this writing, Alex's notes from the first session by Leon Tucker are posted, and the remaining sessions will follow as soon as he able to edit them.

You can find Alex's reThink Conference 08 notes in his blog.

Inviting the Good Hand of God

The hand of God, as the term is used in scripture, can mean many things.  Often it illustrates the idea of God's protection, provision, and direction.  It can also mean deliverance or salvation, and can even be used with regard to discipline or punishment.

In the twin books of Ezra-Nehemiah, three times the phrase "good hand of God" is employed.  Each of the three instances displays the sovereignty of God as He acts in a particular way to bless an individual or group.  Certainly, scripture describes God's ability to do as He pleases (Psalm 115.2-3), and that whatever He desires to do, He can and will do (Psalm 135.5-6), even if it means changing the heart of a pagan king (2 Chronicles 36.22-23).

And yet, it is interesting to note that in Ezra 7.6-10, we have a brief explanation of why God's good hand was upon someone—in this case, Ezra.  The text says in verse six that the pagan king who was holding Ezra captive was granting whatever Ezra requested because the hand of God was on him.  And again in verse nine, it speaks of the speed and ease with which he was able to travel and begin his work, since "the good hand of his God" was on him.

What is very intriguing to me is that in verse ten, we are given a glimpse of why God's good hand was on him.  It says His good hand was working for the good of Ezra, "For," or because of, certain characteristics in Ezra's life.  Because of faithfulness in some specific areas, God was directly honoring Ezra's obedience and was blessing his work.  So what was it that Ezra was doing that, from a human vantage point, seemed to please the heart of God and invite His good hand?

Ezra 7.10 tells us the human side of the equation.  Ezra "had set his heart," or purposed or resolved within himself, that he would continue to do three things as he fulfilled his calling and work.

1.  He had resolved to study the scriptures.

...had set his heart to study the law of the Lord...

2.  He had resolved to apply the scriptures.

...had set his heart...to practice it...

3.  He had resolved to teach or share the scriptures.

...had set his heart...to teach His statutes and ordinances...

To be certain, we cannot manipulate God.  We can't orchestrate situations so that we gain His attention and hopefully draw His blessing on us.  But this scripture reminds us of what is near to the heart of God: that we would be people who study His word, actually live out the scriptures in our daily routines, and then, to whatever degree God gives us influence, share and explain with others what we have learned in our study and practice.

If only I would set my heart to the same three priorities, faithfully and passionately resolving to be faithful to God's word!  For Ezra, the result was God's blessing in his work, and favor and goodwill not only with the followers of God, but also with those in the larger culture who were not believers.

Now that's a good model to follow.

Why Progress?: How This Blog Got Its Name

What exactly is progress?  There are so many applications.

Much has been written in recent years regarding modernism and societal progress.  Whether with regard to technology, academics, business, or culture in general, many social thinkers have debated the value of progress.  Does progress ultimately benefit or harm society?  In an introductory chapter in his excellent book, Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard Swenson, M.D., discusses what he calls "The Pain of Progress."  This conversation about progress is certainly intriguing to me, but that's not what this blog is about.

A revived and in-vogue political term that has picked up its steam in the past few months and years is "progressive."  The concept, with regard to politics, has been around since the early 20th century (or even earlier), and became the name of a political party.  However, I have heard the updated version of usage much more frequently in the last decade.  Once conservative politicos had, as one left-leaning operative called it, "hijacked" the definition of the word "liberal" by attempting to turn it into a bad word the last few election cycles, many liberals decided to redefine themselves as progressives.  To the chagrin of true American progressives, who do not enjoy the supposed synonymy with American liberalism, this definition has stuck, at least for now, and remains as the descriptor of choice for forward-thinking liberal politicians who are anxious to portray themselves as moving away from supposedly negative traditions of the past.  This, too, is for me an interesting discussion, and while I chagrin at some liberals' hijacking of the term, progressive, that is not my concern here either.  Just a little shout out to my progressive friends.

When I was in college and took jazz piano and fancied the idea that I could actually play, at least I learned the basics—and learned my limits.  To this day I cannot read sheet music well, and I was never very good at improvisation, but for piano comping (a primarily jazz term short for accompanying), along with bass and drums to lay under an improvised solo, I learned how to navigate chord progressions with decent accuracy.  For true jazzmen, these charts are often referred to simply as the "progression," or "changes."  To me, this is yet another engaging aspect of the myriad applications of the concept of progression, but this is not what this blog is about.

So what is this blog about?

In this post, and indeed to a degree with most posts on this blog, I would like to think through what helps us to make genuine progress in our lives.  I want to encourage us to think of progress in terms of maturity and development on personal, familial, congregational and societal levels.  And at the core of this ongoing discussion is a very central biblical principle.

A few years ago, I was teaching through the biblical book of Hebrews and had some interesting and convicting realizations.  There is a wonderful section where the writer wants to explain something rich and full to his readers, but he seems to stop midstream with a genuine concern.  What I learned from his pause spun me like a windmill in a tornado.

The writer wants to tell them something about an important man with a funny (to us) name, Melchizedek.  He would like to draw a comparison to Jesus the Christ, and then make the contrast that Jesus is still far greater...but he pauses because he recognizes something curious about his readers.  It goes like this:

Concerning him [Melchizedek] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.  Hebrews 5.11-14 (NASB)

Now admittedly, most scholars would not say that the letter To the Hebrews, (or, The Epistle to the Hebrews), is primarily about making progress in one's faith, per se.  But I would argue that, if clearly defined, this is in fact one of the main sub-themes.  How so?

Many would agree that the primary message the writer wants to convey is that Jesus is better than anyone or anything.  The Book of Hebrews is a patently Christian message that speaks of the value of the readers' Jewish heritage, but also then lovingly encourages and admonishes the readers not only to place their faith in Jesus, but to continue in their trust in Him, without looking back.

The writer asserts that what they have seen in their law has given a representation or a shadow of the true Redeemer, Jesus.  But Jesus is far greater than anyone or anything, because He actually fulfills the law—He is the reality of what had been prefigured in the law.  The law itself could never bring complete and continual cleansing, so the readers are challenged not only to trust in Christ, but also to keep pressing forward in their faith, and not waver in non-belief.  It is the message of endurance and perseverance in their trust in Christ.  To be sure, it is not a matter of leaving the gospel behind in order to move forward to presumably deeper things; it is about relishing in the gospel and continually digging further to mine the depths of life when one is constantly and consistently being transformed by the gospel.  It is about sanctification and endurance.  It's called maturity.  It's called progress.

Some interpreters argue that this paragraph is addressed to nonbelievers who need to grow in their understanding by placing their faith into Christ.  Others argue that this section is addressed to "backsliding" Christians who should have progressed by now.  Both interpretations may have decent arguments.  But to debate either side, in my opinion, is to miss the writer's point.  He is addressing a wide-ranging Jewish audience, which, like any Christian congregation today, includes some who are genuine, mature believers, some who are immature believers, some who think they are believers but are not, and some who cannot decide who or what they will follow.  In my view, at least part of what the writer is doing as he intersperses warnings throughout his letter is to use the letter (as a whole) to address all types within his wide range of readers.  His desire is to bring everyone up to speed—to maturity in Christ through faith.

So the writer has much to say about Melchizedek (whose name translates to righteous king, or king of righteousness), but cannot move forward because of the dull ears and eyes of the readers.  They should have progressed in faith, but like babies they have come to need continual milk instead of solid foods.  His indictment is clear in verse 14: they will neither be able to understand what he's writing about, nor to discern good and evil in life, unless by practice they are training their senses, and thus maturing and progressing in their faith.

The more I looked, the more I saw this principle throughout scripture.  And there's even more.

The sobering truth is, if you're not progressing, you're automatically regressing.

In a Christian's growth process, there's no such thing as reaching a plateau from which you cannot fall back.  We can liken this principle to swimming upstream in a river.  Once you stop actively swimming, you cannot maintain your position.  You automatically start drifting backwards.  In the same way, the follower of Christ who is not progressing may drift from what he has learned because he allowed it to become rote and thoughtless, or maybe she has forgotten how to apply what she once knew because she never practiced it.

The same is true in Hebrews 5.  The writer of Hebrews compares his readers (or at least some of them) to a baby who can only consume milk.  In fact, this baby needs milk again, even though he has had ample opportunity to move on.  Eating something more significant will make him sick, because he is not ready for it, not having practiced and grown into solid foods.  He says his readers need to be taught the same things again, even though by now they should have become teachers.

One of my great fears is that I would become dull of hearing like these folks.  My desire is to keep practicing, keep training my senses, so that I am enduring in life and consistently progressing in character for the sake of Christ.  I want to know Him more, and not look back.  I desire to grow and mature.  I want to progress.

That is what this blog is primarily about: Making progress in every area of life.  So as I mentioned, occasionally I will post thoughts about progress in terms of maturity and development on personal, familial, congregational and societal levels.  My sincere hope is that this process of thinking and writing will not only help me to consider life through the worldview of Christ, but that anyone who reads these posts will also be encouraged to make progress.

Let's join together in this Godward progress.

Transition to Fatherhood

Over the years, it has been encouraging and challenging to me to think about the prospect of fatherhood.  It's amazing to hear the remarks of so many dads in so many contexts, and then wonder what it would be like to actually be a dad.

I have wanted to be a dad for quite a while, so that certainly affects my response to this transition.  And I realize that different people act, react, and cope with changes in different ways.  However, I would like to say that, in my opinion, the transition to fatherhood is nowhere near as dramatic as many have said.

Don't get me wrong: Taking care of our newborn is not exactly easy, and it currently involves nonstop care.  But it's not difficult, either; it's just time consuming.  My so-called pastoral schedule is essentially non-existent at this point, but we are only three weeks into my son's life, and things are already getting back into what I would call a new normal.  No, things will never be the same for my wife and me, but instead of letting that sound like a negative, I want to unequivocally and clearly state that it is a huge positive.  Even though it's extra work, it's not hard, and we absolutely love having this new addition, our son.

Many times I've heard statements from fathers who questioned whether the transition to married life or the transition to parenthood was a more dramatic change.  For me, I can say that the transition to being a husband was more prominent than becoming a father, but both were smooth transitions.  Neither change has to be dramatic or traumatic.  The key is remembering that my life is not my own (it is God's), and that I cannot be a good husband or father apart from God—I am completely dependent on a God who loved us so much that He came to serve an undeserving crowd.

So, to any reader who might be awaiting marriage or parenthood, for what it's worth, let me give my perception of life as a husband and new dad.  If you know and draw your strength from God, and prepare your mind for the changes, neither transition has to be difficult.  In fact, it can even be relatively smooth and comfortable.

You know, I had been wondering what would bring me out of my blog posting slump.  Since February 13, I had lost track with trying to write and publish here.  But I knew that something big at some point, like for instance, becoming a father (!), would bring renewed impetus to writing.

Before, the problem seemed to be: having enough time to write all that I wanted to write.

Now, as a father of a newborn, having enough time to write should not be a problem....

And even though that last sentence drips with sarcasm, I actually hope to write more, and more frequently, in the coming days regarding some thoughts on family, parenting, and specifically fatherhood.  I count it a blessing and privilege.

Comments are welcomed.