At the beginning of a new month it is good to be reminded: At this very moment God is reigning from his throne, so Christ will soon return and all will be made right.

(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Christian Books for February 2023)
The Christian’s Glorious Freedom
Sinclair Ferguson: “You may have been a Christian for some time and yet not grasped your new status in Christ. You may still be intimidated by the domineering character of the tyrant who once ruled over you. Believers sometimes wrongly assume: ‘I have sinned; therefore, sin still has authority over me. I cannot possibly have ‘died’ to sin.’ Paul unambiguously contradicts this thinking.”
A Darker Consumerism
Chris wants us to consider that “our relationship with social media has made us consumers of people.”
Dear Nursery Worker: Thank You For Loving Our Family Like Christ
Here’s some encouragement: “Sister, if you ever feel like your job is useless as a nursery worker, if you ever feel like you’re doing no good for the kingdom, stomp out those lies. You’re loving those children, and you are loving those parents. You’re modeling Jesus…”
Hurt, injustice and dealing with reality
Stephen reflects on some of the ways we can be hurt in church (and how we can hurt others). “As much as I don’t want to diminish the reality of bad experiences, I also think there is some balance needed in how we think about these things. None of what I am about to say is meant to undercut real experience of hurtful things…”
Defining and Defending Liturgy
“What first comes to mind when you hear the word ‘liturgy’? You may believe that ‘liturgy’ is something mechanical or impersonal, not really speaking to the heart. Perhaps you think it a cold, lifeless term, expressing a concept that does not have practical value or promote spiritual worship. Liturgy? Who needs it!”
Should We Cancel Karl Barth, Martin Luther, and Jonathan Edwards?
Trevin considers theologians we may now find troubling in different ways. “We can either look down on past theologians for their sins or we can look deeper. Looking deeper requires us to consider different kinds of sin, how those sins might affect the outlook of the theologian, and what treasures we may still receive, with wisdom and discernment, from flawed forebears.”
Flashback: Which Christian Best Portrays Christ?
Christians are called to be like Jesus, to make a careful study of his life, of his ways, of his character, then to portray him on the canvas of our lives.

To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless. —G.K. Chesterton

I once read of a terrible tragedy at sea, a shipwreck in which many were swept into the ocean and lost. As the ship foundered and splintered, as first the lower decks and then the upper succumbed to the winds and the waves, most of the passengers sank into the depths. But still fighting for their lives were a father and son who had been traveling together from the Old World to the New.

As the ship slipped lower and lower, the two scrambled into the rigging and began to climb upwards. But it was to little avail. The rains continued to pour down upon them and the waves continued to pound up against them. Though they clung tightly and with all the strength they had, the elements were set against them and they began to grow cold and weary. It was only a matter of time.
Then the moment came when, to his great horror, the father saw his son lose his grip and plunge into the sea. Before he could do anything more than cry out in grief and horror, a great wave crashed against him and he blacked out. As light gave way to dark, he knew only that his son had fallen and slipped beneath the waves.
Hours later the father, alive but exhausted, was rescued, plucked from the ocean by a passing ship. He was laid in a bunk where he lapsed into a deep unconsciousness. After a good bit of time had passed he awoke with a deep dread in his heart, overwhelmed by the grief of his terrible loss. But as he became aware, as his eyes opened and his senses cleared, he turned his head and saw lying beside him his very own son. What a glorious thing it was for him to wake up to see his son alive and well, saved from the storm, saved from death!
And my friends, what a glorious thing it will be on the day of resurrection when the trumpet blast wakes us from our slumber and when the cry of command calls us from the grave.
What a glorious thing it will be when we wake to find our loved ones beside us, emerging from the same cemeteries—the same plots even—to live forevermore.
What a glorious thing it will be when, like that father and son, we rise to live eternally with so many of our loved ones—those we saw lowered into the cold earth, those to whom we bid a sorrowful farewell, perhaps even those we were sure had been lost forever.
What a glorious thing it will be to rise with them to live forevermore in that place where there will be no more weeping, no more dying, and no more parting—that place where we will dwell in perfect peace and never-ending safety.

As I travel the world, I love to visit locations that are especially noteworthy within the history of the Christian faith. These may be spots where great events unfolded or spots where great people once lived or labored. Sadly, it is rare that these locations are still in any way consecrated to the Lord and to the spread of the gospel. In many of these places, you’re more likely to hear about the sexual revolution than the Protestant Reformation and more likely to have a guide lead you toward atheism than Christianity. I once found a notable exception, though, in the Netherlands.

The Watchmaker’s Daughter

There are some stories that are just so good and some characters who have accomplished or endured such amazing experiences that it’s only right we learn about them. One such character is Corrie ten Boom. Her story is well known. But by way of reminder, here’s a miniature refresher:
Ten Boom was raised in a devout household by a father who had an especially great love for the Jewish people. When war came to Europe and Germany conquered the Netherlands, the ten Booms quickly began to shelter Jewish refugees and to become involved in the resistance movement. The family was eventually found out and sent first to prison and then to labor camps. Sadly, few of the family members would survive the experience. When Corrie was eventually released, she returned home without her beloved father and sister. She also returned home in a time of extreme deprivation as the nation was slowly starved. After the war finally came to a close, she lived out her life telling about her experience and serving the needy.
Ten Boom’s story has been told a number of times in a number of forms. Most recently, it has been told by Larry Loftis in The Watchmaker’s Daughter: The True Story of World War II Heroine Corrie ten Boom. Loftis is an accomplished writer whose preferred genre is nonfiction thrillers. He tells ten Boom’s story in that stylized form and it makes for an intriguing and fast-paced read. Before he set pen to paper, he did extensive research and includes information that, to my knowledge, has not been shared before and helps close out some open loops. He’s a talented writer and tells the story very well, though I might have preferred a bit more detail on her life after the war.
I mentioned earlier that in my travels I had found a notable exception to all the locations that now tell a story inconsistent with the Christian faith. But that was not the case at Corrie ten Boomhuis in Haarlem. When I visited that location and joined a public tour, the guide showed us around and told us the story of the place and its people. Then, best of all, he shared the gospel that was so important to the ten Boom family—he shared it and encouraged us to believe it. It was a sweet, encouraging, and appropriate moment.
The Watchmaker’s Daughter tells that story and tells it well. If you’re not familiar with Corrie ten Boom, you will appreciate it as an introduction to her life and influence. If you are already familiar with her, you will appreciate the book as a different telling that includes some new facts. Either way, you’ll find it well worth the read.
(As I was writing this review, I noticed that there is also a graphic novel adaption of her story that is releasing next week. It may be worth a look as well.)