“Samuel would not have been more greatly blessed if he had seven sons who took bribes instead of two . . . God did not call us to be mere breeders of covenant-breakers” (For a Glory and a Covering, p. 140).
True Alignment
“The basic Christian duty is to be pro-God and align everything else in accordance with this. When we absolutize things like ‘life,’ ‘marriage,’ or ‘family,’ we routinely get into trouble. When John the Baptist confronted Herod, he was not being pro-marriage, but rather anti-marriage (Mt. 14:4)” (For a Glory and a Covering, p. 139).
More, Not Less
“Jesus says that in the resurrection, we will not marry or be given in marriage (Lk. 20:34-36). At the same time do not conclude from this that your relationship with your spouse will somehow be less than what it is now. When you have ‘been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun,’ you …
Nun of That
“We might think of these widows as Protestant nuns. As best as I can make out, the early church enrolled widows (of a certain character) who were over the age of sixty, and the church expected ministerial service from them. If they departed from this service into idleness, it was a disgrace. If they married …
Feeding the Cockroaches
“Feeding the cockroaches is not a good long-term strategy, even if they spend most of their time out of sight behind and under the cupboards. Keep short accounts, and time will have no chance to amplify your (initially small) sins” (For a Glory and a Covering, p. 133).
So Watch What You’re Doing
“Two lines a quarter of an inch apart on your first anniversary can be three yards apart by your fiftieth” (For a Glory and a Covering, p. 133).
Tell At a Glance
“Sometimes constant medical care is necessary, for example, and a nursing home is unavoidable. But all faithful family members should be able to tell at a glance the difference between abandoned and loved, and all outsiders should remember the difference between having all the facts and not having them” (For a Glory and a Covering, …
At the Top of the Siege Ladders
“As men and women grow old together, many people’s natural response is pity. Because the elderly can’t ‘keep up’ anymore, they are thought of as society’s stragglers. Sometimes this comes out in exasperation (on the freeway, when we’re behind somebody in geezer drive), and other times in pity, but the root assumption is the same. …
Really Chintzy
“One of the most pernicious forms of Sabbath-breaking is this: ‘Once every seven days God expects us to get chintzy for Him'” (For a Glory and a Covering, p 130).
Getting Feet Under the Table
“This is all glorious, but let’s make it practical — let’s get our feet under the table. How does all this apply to marriage? Remember, first ‘male and female created he them,’ and then, in that particular context, God blessed, charged, and fed them. And in this biblical context, we need to realize that if …