Daisy, You’re One Month Old (An Exercise of Worship Through Enjoyment)

Posted on July 3, 2015 by Dana Dill
May 28, 2015 at 8:40am

Daisy Jane Dill // May 28, 2015 at 8:40am

Enjoying God’s gifts is serious business (Ecclesiastes 5:19-20). Unfortunately, it doesn’t come easily to the those who struggle with sin. We know how to covet God’s gifts. We know how to worship God’s gifts. But it is much more difficult for us to enjoy God’s gifts as they’re so designed.

Here at the Pilgrim’s Friend, my hope is to encourage all Christian Pilgrims on the heavenly travels. This isn’t our home, but a road. We are not natives to this fallen world, but through the work of Jesus we have been made into foreigners from a glorious country. In Christ, this is our new identity. Pilgrim is a glorious title, but it thrusts us on a difficult journey. I write to strengthen my fellow travelers.

Today, I want to help by writing out my wife and I’s enjoyment of our new baby girl, Daisy. In an effort to intentionally enjoy our daughter as a gift from God, honor Him as the generous Giver, and help to call Pilgrims to enjoy God’s mercies along the way, here are our simple reflections about our baby girl on her one month birthday.

From Mommy

Multitasking Mommy

Multitasking Mommy

Dear Daisy,

You are officially ONE month old! I have had such a fun time being your momma and have learned a TON.

This past month I had to get over my disdain for the color pink because you look so darn cute in it.

I never thought I’d be okay with someone else’s throw up on me and not shower immediately, or that day.

I never knew I could laugh or smile from being woken up at three in the morning.

I am learning what it means to be “flexible”.

Three consecutive hours of sleep is something to be excited about.

You have an appetite like your mother- when you need to eat, you need to eat or bad things will happen.

One can never take too many newborn pictures. You’ll thank me later.

From Daddy

She Loves Hearing the Old Hymns.

She Loves Hearing the Old Hymns.

Dear Daisy Jane,

You have been with us (outside of mommy, at least) for one month now and you have changed everything for mommy and I in the best of ways.

I never thought a crying baby would be such a sweet sound at 2am.

You have turned me into the emotional equivalent of a high school girl and I love it.

I am overwhelmed to see my features in your little face. How good of God to let me partake in His joy of seeing someone made in my likeness.

Few things make me sadder than to see tears in your eyes. Few things make me happier than to see them turn into smiles.

Your mom was worried about how she’d bond with you, but you have annihilated that worry. I have never seen her so riveted as she is with you. Her’s is a fierce love.

I didn’t think you’d be a girl, but I am so over-the-moon that you are. Girls are the best.

From Two Pilgrims

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of Daisy Jane. Thank you for her health, her personality, her traits, and her soul. Thank you for entrusting her to our care and for letting us experience your goodness at another level.

As we enjoy her and all that she brings to our lives, we are compelled to look to you and worship. You are the Giver of all good gifts, including, of course, sweet Daisy. From you is everything and therefore, for me and my family, to you will be everything.

We pray you delight in our delight of Daisy; that our joy in her would bring joy to you. Shine your face upon her and make her pathways straight, her legs strengthened to walk them, and her wisdom increased to keep on them. May she grow to know you, love you, trust you, and walk with you as her Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.

From the Gifts to the Giver

May God help us all to not covet His gifts, worship His gifts, or take His gifts for granted. Instead, may we all learn to enjoy them deeply while we hold them loosely and allow them to turn our eyes to the One from whom they came. And above all this, may God help us to see and savor the greatest gift He has ever given: His Son given on the cross for our sins and risen from the dead for our life. This is indeed the greatest gift a Pilgrim has.

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

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Yea, Devotions Are Important

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Dana Dill

gray-reading-mdIf you have been around Christians or churches for any amount of time you have no doubt heard about devotions. To the new or non-Christian, this word is foreign. In Christian-speak, a devotion is time spent in private prayer, Bible reading, or other acts of worship (e.g. singing, Scripture meditation, etc.). It is the personal and private worship of God.

As with all important things, devotions are often talked about among Christians. However, as with all often talked about things, devotions can easily become prey to cliche in the Christian mind. And, as always, cliche robs profound truths or practices of their significance.

But, we must fight such a temptation for, as J.C. Ryle points out, our private practice will always lead the way.

We may be very sure that men fall in private long before they fall in public. They are backsliders on their knees long before they backslide openly in the eyes of the world. Like Peter, they first disregard the Lord’s warning to watch and pray; and then, like Peter, their strength is gone, and in the hour of temptation they deny their Lord.

Oh, let us keep an eye continually upon our private devotions! Here is the essence, and substance, and backbone of our practical Christianity. Sermons, and books, and tracts, and committee meetings, and the company of good men, are all good in their way; but they will never make up for the neglect of private prayer.

Mark well the places, and society, and companions, that keep your hearts from communion with God, and tend to make your prayers difficult. “There be on your guard.”

Observe what friends and what occupations leave your soul in the most spiritual frame, and most ready to speak with God. “To these cling and adhere to tightly.” If you will only take care of your prayers, I will promise that nothing will go wrong with your soul. (Taken from Practical Religion).

So don’t scoff at devotions. Do them. Protect yourself from public disgrace by making sure you are active in private grace.

So, what is your practice of devotions look like? Are you reading God’s good Word? Are you going to Him in prayer? Are you enjoying Him alone? All who thirst, go have yourself a good devotion and find Him ready to pour out grace! “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:16.

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An Initial Response to the SCOTUS Decision

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Dana Dill

SCOTUSRecently, Dr. James White, of Alpha & Omega Ministries, made a Facebook comment I thought was worth reposting here.

In light of the recent SCOTUS decision, here is Dr. White’s suggestion as a good initial response.

Psalm 12:8 will be fulfilled before our eyes today. The reprobate will dance (lewdly, in many instances) in the streets, strutting about and rejoicing in the profaning of God’s good gifts.

I suggest you turn the TV off, throttle the social media, spend time in prayer and meditation on God’s Word, love your wife, love your husband, hug your kids, pray for your grandchildren.

The days ahead will be difficult.

God has given this culture over, and just as in the days of the prophets, judgment will glorify Him, but will purify only those who seek to be pure.

Our eyes are upon you, Lord.

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The Saturday Post(s)

Posted on June 27, 2015 by Dana Dill

Saturday PostThere’s a bit about the SCOTUS decision here. I am sure you understand why. But to start it off, here are the Best Articles/Videos Regarding the SCOTUS Decision. “I can’t say anything better than has already been said by countless courageous Christian leaders around the country. So here’s a round up of the best articles I’ve found.”

Parenting in a Gay Marriage World: What Should Christian Parents Do? “As you now know, same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states.  If you have children, they will now grow-up in a culture that recognizes the legitimacy of homosexuality.  What should parents do in response?”

What Does the Bible Say? “As we pour over legal opinions and internet commentary (regarding the SCOTUS decision ), let us not forget what the Bible says…”

Gay is Not the New Black. “In this four-minute video, Voddie Baucham explains the similarities between the Civil Rights and so-called Gay Rights Movement, while highlighting the significant differences between ethnicity and sexual orientation.”

So Called Same-Sex Marriage. John Piper weighs in. “My main reason for writing is not to mount a political counter-assault. I don’t think that is the calling of the church as such. My reason for writing is to help the church feel the sorrow of these days. And the magnitude of the assault on God and his image in man.”

Cigars, the Christians, & the Glory of God. One pastor writes about his love for cigars and makes a Scriptural case for their enjoyment.

Father/Son Dance Duo. To lighten the mood.

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The Immense Value of a Dying Christian

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Dana Dill

deathbed_3“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:16

Charles Spurgeon comments:

The Lord watches over their dying beds, smooths their pillows, sustains their hearts, and receives their souls. Those who are redeemed with precious blood are so dear to God that even their deaths are precious to him.

The deathbeds of saints are very precious to the church, she often learns much from them; they are very precious to all believers, who delight to treasure up the last words of the departed; but they are most of all precious to the Lord God himself, who views the triumphant deaths of his gracious ones with sacred delight. If we have walked before him in the land of the living, we need not fear to die before him when the hour of our departure is at hand. (Take from The Treasury of David).

Because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God holds the life, death, and resurrection of His people as immensely precious. Those who trust in Christ have a God who holds their lives as valuable and their deaths as immensely precious.

 

 

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Take the Long View

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Dana Dill

6403874-9660498An encouragement for anyone who is actively discipling other Christians.

Donald Macleod:

“If we were to judge Jesus by the short-term progress of his disciples we would have to conclude that Jesus was a very poor teacher. When we take a longer view, however, the picture is different.”

Remember, weeds grow quickly and trees don’t.

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4 Thoughts for Young Men Preparing for Marriage

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Dana Dill

I am always on the lookout for good wisdom to pass on to the young men at my church. I found a goodie in this piece by Greg Gibson over at the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

Here are his four thoughts for young men preparing for marriage.

Don’t pursue girls, pursue Christ, then pursue a woman. I know the truth, though. Guys pursue girls because of physical attraction. Instead, my challenge is to pursue Christ, and when you are ready, pursue a young woman who has been practicing something similar.

Prepare yourself for marriage by pursuing the marks of manhood. If you want something for which to aim, then aim for the marks of true manhood.  Here are a few of them:

KNOWING THE GOSPEL. Begin by knowing the gospel. Don’t just know it, though, know it enough to share it and teach it.

SACRIFICIAL LEADERSHIP. Read books on leadership. Get around men you respect, not just those who are funny.

HARD WORK. This is one thing that will set you above others. If you are a young man who works hard, then people will notice. Develop this discipline at an early age. Work hard in school. Work hard at being the best son and brother you can be. Work hard at being the best friend you can be. Work hard at your job. One day, you will be called to provide for your family. Will you do whatever you have to do to make that happen?

PROTECTING WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT ALL COSTS. John Piper says it best when he poses the question, “Who gets in the lifeboat first when the ship is sinking?” God has called men to lay down their lives, if necessary, for women and children. This is what is known as the mark of protection. Begin to see yourself as a protector of women—in all areas. This means you protect women not just physically, but also emotionally and sexually. This is a great and honorable task. Are you ready to raise the bar here?

MAKING GOOD DECISIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS. Become a decision-maker for others. Filter your decisions through questions like, “How does this affect other people, such as my family, friends, co-workers, etc.?”

Invite other dudes into your life for WISDOM and ACCOUNTABILITY (both older men and peers). Don’t be a loan ranger. You will fail.

Pursue a girl with her dad’s approval, but don’t date until you’re READY for marriage. I don’t think I can say it enough. Date when you are ready for marriage. And when you are ready for marriage, make sure her father (or another male figure in her life) is involved. Until then, you are only a potential, bro.

Read the entire post here.

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The Power of the Gospel in Charleston

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Dana Dill

In the video below, the family members of victims from the Charleston shooting speak to the gunman. Watch and marvel at the power of the gospel.

In light of the astonishing hearts of the victims’ family members, Charles C. W. Cooke, an atheist who writes for National Review, tweeted:

I am a non-Christian, and I must say: This is a remarkable advertisement for Christianity.

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The Saturday Post(s)

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Dana Dill

Saturday PostSports on Sundays. “I became a Christian at University. Giving up soccer on Sundays was something that had to happen so that my love for and commitment to the Lord was not divided on his Day. That meant also giving up a $30,000 a year soccer scholarship…Now that I’m older, and have four children, who all love sports, I am constantly faced with the issue of organized sports on Sundays.”

This Man Saved 2 Billion Babies With His Blood. “78-year-old James Harrison, an Australian man…has saved the lives of two billion babies, just by donating his blood every week.”

Now, here are three articles on transgenderism. Why so many? Well, two reasons. One, it’s all over the news and on people’s minds. Two, it has tremendously important implications we all need to think lovingly and seriously about.

Call Me Rosa Parks. Our culture faces a double-standard problem of accepting transgenderism while opposing transracialism. A man can become a woman, but apparently, a white women cannot become a black one. “Dolezal was not born black, yet she wishes now to identify with the black community. She is, after all, the head of the NAACP in Spokane. Whatever her reasons for doing so, she has adopted a social identity that conflicts with her biological identity. And everyone agrees that doing such a thing is a farcical and potentially deceptive.”

We Long to Belong. Another piece on the same subject, but with a different angle. “Sexuality has become a fluid concept in our age, and now gender is taking center stage. As we march across that scantron, though, ethnicity seems to be a more difficult frontier…We are told, on the one hand, that we must tolerate Jenner’s choice to live as a woman, and, on the other, that we cannot tolerate Rachel Dolezal’s decision to live as a black American.”

Transgender Politics vs. the Facts of Life. “The worldview implicit in the transgender movement is that our physical bodies have no particular value – that our biology is irrelevant to who we are as persons….”

Courage is Unanswerable. Short and amazing.

Are Christians the Arrogant Ones? “When religious matters are debated in our culture–e.g., the existence of God, what God is like, morals and ethics–there is an implicit set of rules that everyone is obligated to follow.  Number one on this list of unspoken rules it that you can never claim to know anything about God with any level of certainty.”

The Selfie Generation. “Christians are called to live wisely (Ephesians 5:15). We are those who do give things “a second thought.” So does the Bible say anything to help us in the midst of the selfie generation?”

When You Step in Dog Poop. This little boy expresses out loud what we all feel when we step in dog poop and it’s hilarious.

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Using Evil for Good

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Dana Dill

draw-near-to-god-in-suffering-500x325I read this this morning in my devotions. It blessed me so I thought it would bless you.

Jeremiah Burroughs:

It is the way of God to work by contraries, to turn the greatest evil into the greatest good.  To give a great good after a great evil is one thing, but to turn great evil into the greatest good is another, and yet this is God’s way: the greatest good that God intends for His people, He many times works out of the greatest evil, the greatest light is brought out of the greatest darkness.

This is the art of arts and the science of sciences, the knowledge of knowledges, to understand this, that

God brings life out of death,

He brings joy out of sorrow,

and He brings prosperity out of adversity…

He brings grace out of sin…

It is the way of God to bring all good out of evil, not only to overcome the evil, but to make the evil work toward the good. Now when the soul comes to understand this, it will take away our murmuring and bring contentment to our spirits. (Taken from The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, p. 48).

It is an immense truth for the soul to learn that God does not counteract evil, permit evil, or battle over evil, but that He uses evil as a means to bring about good. God uses the weapons of Satan against him and brings about His purposes through evil purposes of others. God saved Israel’s family by using the evil of Joseph’s brothers (Genesis 50:20). God. God used the wicked Babylonians to judge apostate Israel and bring them back to Himself (Habakkuk 1:5-11). Above all, God used the evil of the religious leaders in crucifying Jesus to bring about the salvation of the world (Acts 2:23-24). God can make straight lines with crooked sticks. His power is of such immensity that He is able to use even evil to accomplish the greatest good.

What then do we have to fear? All the evils of the world will be used of God to bring about glorious things. We may not, and most of the time do not, understand how it works, but we know He does work is so. For, “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

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