Jerram Barrs marked me good. I don’t live out the biblical vision he gave me like I wish I did–but I still am moved each time I come across his life and teaching. He was recently interviewed about his new book.

“Echoes of Eden,” Covenant Seminary professor Jerram Barrs explores why certain books, movies, and plays resonate with something that’s deep within us. In the process, he provides a framework for thinking biblically about art; he shows readers how, as Christians, to read and evaluate literature; and he reveals what some of our most influential writers have in common — from Shakespeare, to Jane Austen, to Tolkien, to C.S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowling.

“ONE THING I ASK OF THE LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Ps. 27:4). This glorious stance finds parallels elsewhere. Thus in Psalm 84:10-11 the psalmist declares, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”

This is not quite the same as saying that the psalmist wants to spend all his time in church. The temple was more than a church building, and synagogue buildings had not yet been invented. This was a way of saying that the psalmist wanted to spend all his time in the presence and blessing of the living God of the covenant, the God who supremely manifested himself in the city he had designated and the temple whose essential design he had stipulated. This necessarily included all the temple liturgy and rites, but it wasn’t a fine sense of religious aesthetics that drove the psalmist. It is nothing less than an overwhelming sense of the sheer beauty of the Lord.

But there are two further connections to be observed:

(1) The psalmist’s longing is expressed in terms of intentional choice: “this is what I seek” (27:4, italics added); “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked” (84:10, italics added). The psalmist expresses his desire and his preference, and in both cases his focus is God himself. We will not really understand him unless, in God’s grace, we share that focus.

(2) The psalmist recognizes that there is in this stance abundant security for him. While it is good to worship God and delight in his presence simply because God is God, and he is good and glorious; yet at the same time it is also right to recognize that our own security is bound up with resting in this God. David wishes “to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple,” for “in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock” (27:4-5). “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God,” we read, for “the LORD God is a sun and shield” (84:10-11).

“If we are examining the roles of the persons of the Trinity in prayer, it may seem logical to start with God the Father. But there is another logic to the gospel in that our spiritual life begins subjectively with our being subdued by the gospel of Christ. Thus, God speaks to us by the word of his incarnate Word. We are converted by the message about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for us. Faith in Christ has its primary expression in prayer. It begins with our looking to Christ, and then faith grows as we receive the word of Christ and respond in prayer and godly living in the world.”

–Graeme Goldsworthy, A Biblical-Theological Perspective on Prayer

Gather Sunday from 6-7pm to pray.

Sometimes something important gets crowded out. And you have to make room for it, again. I was supposed to push officer nominations from the front in October. FAIL!

Yet the strength of the leadership of our church is so vital that we want to do all that we can to:
–Inform you of the importance of elders and deacons
–Give you space and time to reflect, pray, and nominate

There are nomination forms, along with information about each office at the Resource Desk.

Here’s how this week’s CIA says it:

Officer Nominations Extended through November 24 

Members now have an extra month to submit officer nominations! With all the excitement of
our global missions weekend, we neglected to mention this important officer nomination
process in services. We hope you will take this opportunity to help raise up leaders at CCC.
Information and nomination forms in the foyer, or you can email nominations to
office@christcommunitychurch.com

It might look a little like this tomorrow. Might.

In rooms 122 & 124 tomorrow is a great opportunity to dialogue with some of our Local & Global Partners. Join Moderator Rick Kingsley either at 9 or 10:30.

Brittany French (UF)
Frank Stankunas (short term trips)
Julie Stout (Bulgaria)
Josh Dickenson (Uganda)

Oh yes, the Chili Cook Off was splendid.