Matthew Burden's Blog, page 10

Quote of the Week

“The mere fact that a belief is unpopular at present (or at some other time) is interesting from a sociological point of view but evidentially irrelevant.”
- Alvin Plantinga, notable Christian philosopher

A Prayer from John Wesley

O merciful Father,Do not consider what we have done against you; But what our blessed Savior has done for us.Do not consider what we have made of ourselves,But what He is making of us for You, our God.Amen.

Sermons

  Boasting in Our Weakness (2 Cor. 11) (click here to listen or right-click to download)
His Grace Is Sufficient (2 Cor. 12) (click here to listen or right-click to download)

Poem: Springtime in Eastern Maine

I don't have a new section of The Evangeliad prepared to post this week, so instead I'm sharing extracts from an old poem, lightly edited and updated (in its original form, it was a poem desperately in need of a good editor, and while still on the long end, I think this version improves it somewhat). 

Springtime in Eastern Maine

Think not on what you’dhave the weather be;

        Rejoicein what it is.

But we have skies ofunrelenting gray, you say!

Yet are they not blanketsof life-giving dew

        O’erwrappingour rocky hideaway?—

Skies for which many aland

        Wouldtrade their cloudless azure domes,

        Whichlift the spirit for a day,

        Thenrender desolate what they have charmed.

But the rain is cold, yousay, and miserable!

And yet cold gray rain isbetter matched

        Withsipping tea, and playing piano,

        Andwriting poetry from inchoate thoughts

        Thanany other weather I know.

Our spring may not besublime, it’s true.

It’s rather more likeprayer than paradise:

        Invitingus to step out and breathe deep,

        Towait in grateful patience

        Throughshort, infrequent glimpses

        Ofthe blessings yet to come;

To build up perseverantvirtue

        Inthe crucible of time;

Learning to walk in stepwith what is now

        Andleaning hopeward

        Towardwhat is yet to come.

The secret of spring is inwalking slow,

        Inletting our world

        Simplybe herself,

        Andto learn her wiser ways.

We cannot forget to speakour thanks

        Tothis slow and rugged corner of the earth,

And to love her for whatshe is

        Andfor what she was made to be,

Rather than asking her tobe less

        Thanthe glory Providence grants her.

So bring on the mud andrain and gray-cast skies,

And teach me the grace,

        AsMaine knows it,

        Ofwaking up slowly

        Andbreathing deep

        Before paradise returns.

Photo of the Week

 

Linger, O blessed Redeemer,Abide here evermore;And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,And rest on the blissful shore.
- adapted from a hymn by Mary Ann Baker

Quote of the Week

"The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer."
- F. B. Meyer

A Week's Vacation - No New Blog Posts

Here in Maine, we have a week's break from schoolwork, so I'm sharing a few vacation days with my family. New blog posts will resume on Monday, April 22.

Sermons

 Don't Be Led Astray (2 Cor. 11:1-15) (click here to listen or right-click to download)
Jesus Challenges Our Expectations (Luke 5:27-39) (click here to listen or right-click to download)

The Evangeliad (29:12-13)

(Click here for an introduction and previous installments of the Evangeliad)
Section 29:12-13 (corresponding to Luke 16:14-15)
But the Pharisees listening scoffed at him,With money the treasure they put their hope in;And Jesus, he warned them, "God knows your hearts,Yes, He knows what all of your idols are.
You try to justify yourselves before men,Acting righteous, but with great greed within--Do you not know that our God despisesAll the riches the worldly one prizes?"

Photo of the Week

O thou from whom all goodness flows,I lift my soul to thee;In all my sorrows, conflicts, woes,Good Lord, remember me.
- from a hymn by Thomas Haweis