Family – Page 2 – No Other Boast

Baby Josey King

Disclaimer: I do not believe there is a heavenly post from here to heaven. I don’t expect God to act as my mail boy. I don’t anticipate with hope the opportunity to say these things. My hope is much bigger; so much so that this little letter will one day seem trite. This letter was simply my way of grieving and expressing my faith. [Added 11.2.17]

Josey,

Oh, how we love you. We know so little about you, we’re not even sure if you’re our baby daughter or son, but we do know that we love you. Your mommy lept, shouted, and danced with joy when the pregnancy test revealed you were forming within her belly! She heralded your life to PaPa and Gran, Papa and Grandma! Her eruption of joy was the purest motherly delight I’ve ever seen. Oh, how she would have loved you!

Josey, you were bathed in prayer. You were the answer to a plethora of prayer. During your little life on this earth you swam in a sea of prayer. When others were told to expect you they told us of their prayers for you. Many rejoiced to hear of you. Many praised God because of His great mercy toward us in giving us you. God answered our prayer. He said “yes” and “no”. His “no” was a gracious “no”. I do not understand the grace of God in taking you, but His grace is not for me to understand, but to receive. I do not understand all the minutia of the suffering that occurs under the sovereign hand of God, but I do understand the greatest purpose He has in it—His glory. Majestic, eternal, unfading, effulgent glory; the glory you now bask in. This is my hope and my joy, even now.

Josey, your namesake is Joseph. His is a story of the grace of God abounding in blessing upon His covenant people. What was meant for evil by sinners within and Satan without, God worked for good. God’s grace is sovereign even over the sins of His covenant people. Evil spiritual forces will tempt us to sin in this trial, I will and I have. I am so frail. My faith is weak, but my God is faithful. The one who sustained and sanctified Joseph will do so for your mother and me. May your precious little life tell others that our story, like Joseph’s, is not one of our great faith, but God’s great faithfulness toward us in Jesus Christ.

We will miss and mourn you for now. But only for now.

Bethany’s Birthday Brilliance

She was very secretive. She kept pestering me about throwing a Birthday party. I loathe having a personal birthday party. “Hey everyone, gather around and let’s celebrate…ME!” She promised there would only be two people at this party, plus Baby King in the belly of course.

I was told I couldn’t arrive at the house until she called. I just thought she was decorating. So I came home and we went out to eat at The Green Onion, which is under new ownership and better than ever. Once we arrived back home the most spectabulous (such vocabulary is all one can resort to in trying to describe such splendor) birthday book bonanza commenced. My sweet wife is minister to the minister. She encourages, challenges, loves, serves, supports, sacrifices, submits, and gently reproves… me. She was giddy with joy, to surprise and love… me. I am honored. I am blessed.

Father, thank you for my sweet Bethany. Her portrayal of your church, makes me want to be more like your Son.

What followed upon arriving home was 45 solid minutes of book hunting. Books were hid all over the house. We went up the stairs then down, and then back up (she didn’t realize she would have to make this trek twice). You see, to make my 30^th a celebration to remember she collaborated with many friends and family to buy books for me. Thanks to everyone who contributed. I am thankful for your kindness towards me. I really was overwhelmed.

Below is what amassed after the hunt (not shown in the picture are the other 25 volumes of The MNT Commentary set!).

Birthday

An Introduction to the New Testament by D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown by Andreas Köstenberger
Institutes of the Christian Religion (2 volumes) by John Calvin
The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (27 volumes) by John MacArthur
Gospel Powered Parenting by William Farley
The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges
Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges
Calvin by Bruce Gordon
Christ-Centered Worship by Brian Chapell
The Glory of Christ by John Armstrong
Preaching Christ in All of Scripture by Edmund Clowney
The Church by Edmund Clowney
Words to Winners of Souls by Horatius Bonar
In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson
Jonathan and Sarah by Edna Gerstner
Marriage to a Difficult Man by Elisabeth Dodds
Tell the Truth by Will Metzger
The Message of Salvation by Philip Ryken
The Gospel-Driven Life by Michael Horton
God, Marriage, and Family by Andreas Köstenberger
Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind by Tremper Longman III
The Works of John Newton (6 volumes)
The Collected Writings of John Murray (4 volumes)
The Walk by Stephen Smallman
Does Grace Grow Best in Winter by Ligon Duncan
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee
Cecil and Friends (4 Book Set) by Andrew McDonough
Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers by Lewis Drummond

Tolle Lege: Adopted for Life

Readability: 1

Length: 217 pgs

Author: Russell D. Moore

Bethany and I have known for some time that we wanted to adopt children at some point. When Mark (Bethany’s brother) and Marla adopted Kylee I think we were graciously infected. The gospel is contagious when lived out. Still I never thought through the deep gospel implications until watching the video posted below by John Piper. After reading Russell Moore’s Adopted for Life I no longer simply want to adopt, I am compelled to adopt. This is among my favorite books of the year. I pray you will read it, whether or not you are contemplating adoption. As Christians we all should be ardent advocates of adoption.

Whenever I told people I was working on a book on adoption, they’s often say something along the lines of, “Great. So is the book about the doctrine of adoption or, you know, real adoption?”…

As soon as you peer into the truth of one aspect, you fall headlong into the truth of the other and vice versa. That’s because it’s the way the gospel is. Jesus reconciles us to God and to each other. As we love God, we love our neighbor: as we love our neighbor, we love our God. We believe Jesus in heavenly things – our adoption in Christ; so we follow him in earthly things – the adoption of children. Without the theological aspect, the emphasis on adoption too easily is seen as mere charity. Without the missional aspect, the doctrine of adoption too easily is seen as mere metaphor.

The gospel of Jesus Christ means that our families and churches ought to be at the forefront of the adoption of orphan close to home and around the world. As we become more attuned to the gospel, we’ll have more of a burden for orphans. As we become more adoption friendly, we’ll better understand the gospel.

Whether our background is Norwegian or Haitian or Indonesian, if we are united to Christ, our family genealogy is found not primarily in the front pages of our dusty old family Bible but inside its pages, in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

Our son Jonah was born three and a half weeks premature, but we don’t think of him as our “premature baby.” We don’t introduce our children Benjamin, Timothy, and Samuel and then say, “Here’s our premature son Jonah.” Jonah is just Jonah. He was premature, yes, and that’s part of his story. But it doesn’t define who he is. The same is true of those who came into our family by adoption. Adopted is a past tense verb, not an adjective.

Isaiah 52:1-12 & Gone?

I picked my three favorite photos. One has his tiny little fingers wrapped around her thumb; it looks as if he is really clinching it. His precious little face takes up the majority of the second picture. The third is the two most precious faces I know by earthly sight pressed together in sorrow and love. I had them printed 11×14 in sepia tone. Then I placed them in three simple little white frames which I hung at the top of the stairway around noon. I knew she would be home around 3pm. I hear the garage door. We talk about the day in the dining room, she ascends the stairs. “Why are the stairway lights on?” she thinks to herself…oblivious. I wait. As she descends she notices, by her reaction I know I have done well. I love making her happy. Some things can leave us, and we never notice them. A huge wrought iron piece that previously occupied that space in the hallway was not missed. If the picture were removed I think Bethany would instantly notice. If you treasure something, really treasure something, you will quickly realize its absence. Bethany so treasures Elijah; his absence hurts.

The return of the Lord to Zion (v. 8) was occasioned by singing. God’s presence among them was their deepest joy. Could God be absent and our souls comfortable? Are they? Or do we like the Psalmist “seek His presence continually” (Psalm 105:4), pant after him as the deer pants for water (Psalm 42:1), and desire above all to “dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4)?

Easter Comfort

John Piper’s son Abraham lost their baby girl Felicity in September 07.

Here is the story.

Here is a poem.

Here is Grandpa John’s funeral comments.

And here is Abraham’s Easter poem of hope.

Bethany and I have found comfort here. More than anywhere else I have found comfort in the crucified and risen Christ, and here are the two linked together beautifully.

A Letter to Elijah

Elijah Disclaimer: I do not believe there is a heavenly post from here to heaven. I don’t expect God to act as my mail boy. I don’t anticipate with hope the opportunity to say these things. My hope is much bigger; so much so that this little letter will one day seem trite. This letter was simply my way of grieving and expressing my faith. [Added 11.2.17]

Elijah,

Your name means “Yahweh is God”. Our firstborn son, this was our prayer for your life. We named you after the mighty prophet who proclaimed “O Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.” (1 Kings 18:36) Elijah, we asked God that your life would proclaim the supremacy of Jesus above all the gods of this age; this age that is filled with just as many false contenders for the glory that belongs to Christ alone. Our Everlasting Father works His wisdom in the most mysterious of ways. Elijah, you are a mighty prophet. Your precious life has more powerfully declared the sovereignty and majesty of God than we could have ever imagined. He has magnified His great name in you son, we are so proud of you. You have taught your parents so much about our great Father. Elijah you have preached:

That the fountain of grace flowing from Emmanuel’s veins is the most satisfying flow. The deepest pain finds relief and comfort at the wounded hands of the gentle Shepherd.
That we are pilgrims in this life. For there to be joy mingled with such sorrow is evidence that the presence of God is where all our hearts desires find their fullest satisfaction.
You have made us aware of the depths of the Father’s love as His Son testified that the Father “so loved us that He gave His one and only Son.”
Elijah, most precious to us, you have testified that the sovereignty of God over all things is good. Your almighty Father has made His sovereignty taste sweet to us.

Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away; blessed be the name of Yahweh.
—Job 1:21 (ESV)

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in Yahweh; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.
—Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)

When the righteous cry for help, Yahweh hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. Yahweh is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
—Psalm 34:17-19 (ESV)

Oh, taste and see that Yahweh is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
—Psalm 34:8 (ESV)

Thank you, dear son, for being the instrument of Yahweh to deliver such a powerful sermon. Your legacy for all eternity will be “Yahweh is God”.