Bunyan Poem on Valor and the Christian Life

John Bunyan is one of many historical examples of a pastor/poet. Pilgrim’s Progress contains a number of poems by Bunyan. Below is on e I have appreciated for some time. In the story it comes from Mr. Valiant-for-Truth. Louis Benson, prominent hymnologist, described this song as “dramatically virile” and stated, “to Bunyan bravery is the root virtue of Christian character and the only possible equipment for the pilgrim life.” Coming from a man who was imprisoned for over 12 years, this is all the more meaningful.

This poem in a slightly modified form was set to music and included in some hymnals as “He Who Would Valiant Be.”

This though is Bunyan’s original:

Who would true valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will constant be,
Come wind, come weather
There’s no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.

Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright,
He’ll with a giant fight,
He will have a right
To be a pilgrim.

Hobgoblin nor foul fiend
Can daunt his spirit,
He knows he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away,
He’ll fear not what men say,
He’ll labor night and day
To be a pilgrim.

In our day, when we suffer less, may we still share this resoluteness and faith.
(Quotes from Louis F. Benson, "The Hymns of John Bunyan," Papers of the Hymn Society, 1930)

John Newton on Work

In the latest newsletter from the John Newton Project, I appreciated this quote from Newton:

“Through mercy, we and our family are in tolerable health, and peace. I never was better. I preached four times this week, since Sunday, and seem as stout and strong for tomorrow, as if I had not preached at all. Notwithstanding all this, I am near 70 years of age. I am going, going, just a-going. The wheels of time, the carriage which is bearing me to my journey’s end, how swiftly they roll… It is yet day with us, as to this life, that is, our opportunities of adorning our profession, and being useful in our places are still prolonged. But the word speaks to me that am old, and likewise to you that are young - Work while it is day for the night cometh. May our Lord find us so doing – so watching, waiting, hoping for his appearance, that his approach may be a joy and not a surprise to us.”
(From Newton to the Rings of Reading, 3 January 1795)

While there is no value in being hectic, there is much value in steady, faithful labor knowing God has us here for a purpose.

Difficult Ministry

This week I came back across some scribbled notes that had come to mind in the midst of a sermon. I find sermons to be very stimulating to my thinking. A main point will send me off thinking of application in different areas. So, while listening to a sermon on 1 Samuel on a time of difficulty in David’s life, I began to ponder the difficult places of ministry so many brothers find themselves in from time to time. I am not actually in a difficult place at the moment, but I often talk to brothers who are. Thinking of them in light of the text this is what I jotted down:

Is it the Lord’s will that I suffer so at the hands of difficult people? That I labor to so little result amongst non-responsive people? Would not the Lord use me? Is such pain and uselessness the will of God?

Consider Moses, the promised Deliverer. He ended up fleeing for his life which led to 40 years of watching sheep in the desert. Yet, God was at work preparing him for use.

Consider also David, the promised King. He had to suffer rejection, conspiracies against his life, living on the run and hiding in caves before God placed him on the throne.

Consider also Jesus, Himself, who accomplished his great work precisely in the midst of his great suffering.

God is at work, and we must relinquish the demand to see the results in our own time. We may be blessed to see the work of God flourishing in our hands (and if so do not fail to recognize what a blessing that is!). Or we may be called upon to labor faithfully never seeing the result. Either way let us labor faithfully, believing that what we see is not all there is (2 Cor 4:16-18). Let us trust God and say “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Cor 15:58).

Shackelton and Camaraderie

I recently finished listening to The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition, by Caroline Alexander. Ever since I first heard the story of Shackleton’s perseverance through a year and half adrift on ice, the sea and an isolated, frozen island I have been captivated by it. It is a moving story of leadership and perseverance. Much could be said about it, but here I simply want to point out one quote that caught my attention. One of the men on the journey commented in his journal, stating:

“Never is etiquette so carefully observed as by experienced travelers when they find themselves in a tight spot.”

He was commenting on how easy it is to begin to annoy one another when you are all suffering through amazingly difficult conditions, trying to survive and knowing you need one another to survive. This made me think of how we as Christians need one another and how we also find ourselves in “tight spots.” Perhaps if we were more keenly aware of our difficulties and need of one another, we might be more gracious to one another. The illusion of comfort and being in control fools us into thinking we have the luxury of dismissing one another. But we deeply need one another.

B. Maxwell on pastoral discouragement

Barry Maxwell has written another important post on discouragement in ministry. I encourage you to read this full post and ponder what he says. There is much helpful wisdom here to help us assess ourselves well, while avoiding unnecessary self-condemnation. This will repay good thoughtful reading.

Whirlwind of a Week

It has now been a week since the tornado came by our house and went on to hit Union University so severely. Most readers of this blog have probably already seen the coverage. If you are looking for information or are wanting to keep up the three key sites are:
Union’s homepage- http://www.uu.edu/
The Official Recovery site- http://www.uurecovery.com/
Tim Ellsworth’s Blog- http://www.timellsworth.com/

Also Brian Denker recently took some great photos of the damage and he has a link to more photos. Here is one from Brian of the dorm room where my wife lived when we first met until we married 16 years ago this last week.

I personally have received many, many emails, calls from friends from many places expressing concern and prayers. The outpouring of support has been amazing and I have been very proud of the response of our students as they have been interviewed by various media outlets. I have already heard from various people about how the care of the community and the testimony of students has impacted lost family members, opening conversations with some who were previously closed to any discussion of the gospel. God is most certainly at work. He is advancing His kingdom and working things together for the God of His people.

The doctrine of providence is especially important and helpful in times like this. It does not answer all our questions, but it gives us a basis for perseverance. We are not governed by chance. We are not at the mercy of the whims of uncontrolled events. All things are in God’s hands, and, therefore, there is hope and meaning.

Disasters in life are more common than people typically want to admit- really only we in the developed West have the convenience of being susceptible to thinking otherwise. In this tornado we did not meet an anomaly. Rather we saw a stark reminder of the reality of a fallen world. We must not say, “This was unusual. The rest of life will roll along just fine.” That is sometimes the answer of pop psychology, and it is hollow. Rather the scriptures would teach us to say, “This is the sort of thing that happens in a fallen world.” It is a reminder that all things are not yet as they should be. It is a reminder that we are fallen and in need of redemption. It should cause us to long for the day when all things will be made right, when the curse is removed. It should cause us to read with more empathetic appreciation Paul’s words in Romans 16:20- “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Christian hope is not the flimsy idea that suffering will not usually come, but is the sturdy recognition of the inevitability of suffering in this life (2 Tim 3:12) coupled with the knowledge that God will eventually destroy evil and make all things right. It is this truth which has always inspired the saints (1 Cor 15:58; 1 Thess 4:13-18; 2 Tim 1;12).

Our God Reigns!

J. B. Gambrell, Pastorate is Hard Service

I just came across this quote in a paper written by Tom Ascol. Gambrell was a leader among Southern Baptists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries serving as President of Mercer, professor at Southwestern and SBC President.

In his commencement address in 1913 at Southwestern he said:

My first word is that you are going into a hard service. There is a place where good preachers and good Christian workers will have a good, easy time–but it is not in this world. It lies beyond Jordan. There is not going to be any way for you to get out of a hard place. If you undertake to run out of it, you will run into it and all the harder because you run. It is a great thing for soldiers to know what they are going into.

The key word this morning is: Hold fast. I have less and less regard for the brilliant people who soar aloft and more and more regard for the plain man who sticks to his work and just keeps on, and keeps on, and keeps on. (Baptist Standard June 15, 1913)

This is a good word for today as well. Let us not seek ease but faithfulness. Let us not whine or complain as if we are the only ones to face difficulties but rather embrace the calling God has given recognizing it is only by His mercy that we have the privilege of serving His church. Let us persevere by His grace for His glory.

Perseverance in The Last Battle

King Tirian and Jewel the unicorn are good examples of perseverance (as well as friendship) in a number of ways. What particularly grabs me is a phrase which I believe shows up elsewhere in the series (I think on the lips of Reepicheep in Dawn Treader). When their backs are against the wall, all looks hopeless and their deaths seem certain, Jewel says, “Sire … There is now no need of counsel. … Nothing now remains for us seven but to … proclaim the truth, and take the adventure Aslan sends us.” Out of context this line may not seem very impressive. However, in its context it is a compelling approach to obedience in the face of overwhelming odds. At this point in the story they have done all they can to resist the enemy and yet the enemy has cut off all their hopes of reinforcement. Their duty is clear- fight the enemies who have invaded their land, enslaved their people and deceived their people with lies about Aslan. However, it would appear equally clear that their possibility of success is almost zero. What shall they do? Shall they barter their honor for their lives? Shall they abandon the ways of Aslan and make peace with his enemies since they have no way of winning? These same questions approach us in life and ministry. And many- so many- counsel obedience only when success seems probable. Otherwise they suggest compromise. Oh, how we need the example of courageous obedience that says simply, “Let us go forth in obedience and see what adventure the Lord has ordained for us. Whether we live or die we serve the Lord” (for a biblical example see Daniel 3, esp. vv. 16-18).

Do we truly believe God is sovereign? Do we owe Him obedience at all times, or did He fail to consider this particular incident? Is this all about us, our survival and success even though we drape it in language about God’s glory? Or will we see that our task is to obey and simply see what happens? God is working his purposes out and we do not know what our part will be. Our part may be to see the work of God prosper in our hands. Or our part may be to go down in noble defeat. Our own particular outcome is not to be our great concern. We are simply to be faithful and trust God to use it. I do not need to be a mastermind; I just need to mind the Master.

So when our duty is clear (e.g., discipline for an unrepentant but influential member, standing on biblical principles though it incur the wrath of friends, members, or denomination, etc.), then let us remember the noble unicorn of Narnia and like him step out in obedience, “proclaim the truth, and take the adventure Aslan sends us.” Better a noble death than ignoble survival. And who knows how many great victories are simply awaiting those with enough courage to go forth in simple obedience.

William Bradford on persevering in spite of danger

I am currently reading to my boys about the Pilgrims. In our current book(review coming soon), the author occasionally provides quotes from William Bradford’s journals. The following quote really struck me. Bradford is talking about the attempt to plant a colony in the New World. I thought of it in connection with pastoral ministry (no doubt it could apply in various areas), particularly the effort of renewal in the church. It will be difficult, there will be costs. Yet, it is worth it. This is good advice. Let us not be paralysed by fear. Rather, let us press on in faith.

“All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties; and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages. It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. For though there were many of them likely, yet they were not certain. It might be that sundry of the things feared might never befall; others, by provident care and the use of good means, might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne or overcome.”

If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee

I came across this hymn this week (found it here), and it has ministered to me much. It seems to me that I grew up hearing far more “life is getting better & better” songs and not enough “persevering” kind of songs. These honest hymns that point us to rest in the sovereignty and goodness of God are so helpful. I am really blessed by the fact that our church uses many songs like this. The sentiment is similar to the poem, “Do The Next Thing,” which I mentioned previously.

If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days;
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that nought can move.

What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee
O'er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

Only be still and wait his leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure
And all-discerning love have sent;
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To him who chose us for his own.

Sing, pray and keep his ways unswerving;
So do thine own part faithfully,
And trust his Word - though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted him indeed.

Georg Neumark, 1621-1681
(you can hear the tune here)