As I mentioned yesterday, I have just finished writing a book. My files have been submitted to the publisher and I now await the front cover design, some recommendations for editing and a review of my final galley before going ahead with production and distribution. It is a very exciting time. The full book title is In, Not Of - Christian Relevance in 21st Century America. I'll discuss the content in the next few days, but I thought it would appropriate to put into writing a testimony of God's grace in bringing the work to fruition.
At our Men's Retreat this past weekend a brother shared a definition of grace that I have been thinking about since. He said grace could be defined as the desire and ability to do what is pleasing to God. It's pretty good. We don't by nature tend toward things that announce our inability to please God and do what is right. Our bent is more toward autonomy and independence from God (acknowledging our ability to take care of things ourselves). So, God's grace as the desire and ability to do what pleases God would be a God-given return to our originally designed state of being. In my life, the process of completing this book has been God operating in His strength to infuse the desire and ability to please Him in a written work. The process began in 2005 when many things changed in my family. My wife and I had our 2nd child (2nd son, Nathan) in December. At the same time, I changed my place of work from Greensboro to Burlington, from a consulting engineering firm (which was a great company where I had a great position) to the family business (which is a great company where I have a great position). We also moved our membership from one great church family to another. During this time, I began regular personal devotions in the book of Colossians. In chapter one verses 16 and 17, Jesus is described as being before all things, that by Him all things were created, and in Him all things are held together. I thought about those verses for a long time and felt compelled to investigate the notion that if those verses were really true then the "fingerprint" of Christ (His influence and imprint) should be on any topic under the sun. For the next five years I read everything I could get my hands on and thought about newspaper articles and blog topics; really searching to see if those who believed the Bible was Truth had something meaningful to say.
In late October, early November, 2010 I felt compelled to compile all these ideas in a book. More than a compulsion (although I couldn't escape the desire to take on the task) it was a coalescing of the book in my mind. I can't say the idea wasn't there at all one minute and in full form the next, but when I did feel there was nothing I could do but capitulate and sit down to write I knew the organization and content from beginning to end. It took just under a year to complete the writing and review. It truly has been God's grace, Him placing in me the desire and ability to see this thing through. I have always been one for math and science since I come from an engineering background, so reading and writing and any topic dealing with the humanities or social sciences has been nothing more than an impediment to me. Interesting the God would choose to arrest my life for more than 5 years in that which I deemed unimportant.
I'll get into the content next time, but the book is arranged like a building construction project. It begins with the foundation (an apologetic for belief in the God of the Bible), then the structure (what it means to be a Christian in the United States of America in the 21st Century) and finally the secondary framing or fascia (practical matters for Christians like media/entertainment, environment, government and love). It has been a tremendous blessing personally and will hopefully be a challenge and encouragement to others of the desire and ability to please God that a Holy and personal Father places in His children for His good purposes.
I agree wholeheartedly that humans don't naturally seek to please God and that the only means by which we arrive at that position is grace. I'm not at all sure how "grace could be defined as the desire and ability to do what is pleasing to God." The biblical word means "favor". Paul defined it as unmerited favor. So when God gives rain to sinful humans, it's grace. Your next breath is grace. I don't see how this is "the desire and ability to do what is pleasing to God." Of course, to have that desire is a function of grace. But like hydrogen is a component of water, I wouldn't define water as hydrogen. It would be a component, but not a definition.
ReplyDeleteThe book, on the other hand, sounds interesting.
Stan,
ReplyDeleteIn my thinking the "definition" of the desire and ability to do what is pleasing to God is meant as a help to try to get one's mind around "unmerited favor" in a daily practical walking out. It is a picture of what happens when the unmerited favor is extended. You're right on the functionality and that it doesn't fully quantify grace. As C.S. Lewis said, if the picture isn't helpful then drop it. But it might be worthwhile to some to think about God putting in us the ability to understand that He gives each breath and that we can expend mental energy thinking about how we can breathe as unto the Lord and verbalize praise and thanksgiving for each breath drawn as brought about by His hand. Hopefully that's a bit clearer? Maybe I should have actually used the word picture instead of definition to get across what I was trying to say. Thanks.
I look forward to seeing what you have to say about and in your book, Jeremy. This is a topic dear to my heart and one that is very important for the church today.
ReplyDeleteMay I ask who is publishing the book?
Dan T.,
ReplyDeleteXulon Press is who I am using for publication. I'll certainly include a link once everything is finalized and production complete. Thanks for the interest.