I recently finished the Roots of Endurance, by John Piper. This small read is worth the investment if you want to learn from lessons of history how to persevere through the struggles life inevitably brings. The book focuses on three Christian characters, their struggles, and the source of their endurance. One of the characters is William Wilberforce, whom I’ve written about earlier.
Piper referenced Wilberforce’s book in his, and being the nutcase that I am, that was all it took. I’m now just past the midpoint of Wilberforce’s book, A practical view of Christianity.
Remember, William was a politician. He wrote this book in 1797 and was in the middle of his huge struggle to abolish the slave trade. His advisors told him not to author this book and warned him of the political pitfalls. They feared that his readers would not approve, not applaud and that his efforts toward abolishing slavery would be damaged. He published, anyway.
This past week a client asked me to tell him more about my relationship with God and how to build his deeper. We talked at length about prayer, studying the scriptures, hanging with other believers, and using your talents, time, and treasures to serve those less fortunate. It was a great invitation and a wholly inadequate answer, but it was the best I had.
Here is how William challenged his readers to build their character and their relationship with God. This is right out of his book on page 76 and you will notice that he is only writing to his readers that share his belief in God. He is calling out, if you will, only his fellow believers.
“Let us then each for himself solemnly ask ourselves, whether we have fled for refuge to the appointed hope? And whether we are habitually looking to it, as to the only source of consolation? Other foundation can no man lay; there is no other ground of dependence, no other plea for pardon; but here there is hope, evenn to the uttermost. Let us labor then to affect our hearts with a deep conviction of our need of a Redeemer, and of the value of his offered mediation. Let us fall down humbly before the throne of God, imploring pity and pardon in the name of the Son of his love…With this view let us labor assiduously to increase in knowledge, that our’s may be a deeply rooted and rational affection. By frequent meditation on the incidents of our Savior’s life, and still more on the astonishing circumstances of his death; by often calling to mind the state from which he proposes to rescue us, and the glories of his heavenly kingdom; by continual intercourse with him of prayer and praise, of dependence and confidence in dangers, of hope and joy in our brighter hours, let us endeavor to keep him constantly present in our minds, and to render all our conceptions of him more distinct, lively, and intelligent. The title of Christian is a reprach to us, if we estrange ourselves from Him after whom we are denominated.”
Now that’s what you call answering the question. CCD with respect, yes. Politically correct, no. This is what he believes and his audience knows it.
What do you believe? What audience do you play for?
God, help me live aligned with my beliefs. God, help me…
BUILT TO LEAD 