Legalism - Grappling with the Term

"As Sinclair Ferguson observes, legalism abstracts the law of God from God’s gracious character. The commands of Scripture divorced from God’s gracious character become not the good and gracious gift of a loving God who has given us everything in Christ and knows what is best for us, but a burdensome duty assigned by a God whose love has to be earned—a God whose commands keep us from real joy."

from:

https://www.9marks.org/article/church-membership-among-former-mormons-a-9marks-mailbag/#_ftnref1

The Sanctifying Work of Pregnancy

A few quotes from a book review of Showing: What Pregnancy Tells Us About Being Human. This reviewer gets into far more than just physical matters --

"...pregnancy looks a lot more like a clinical condition than a natural season of a woman’s life. In the standard prenatal care model, a pregnant woman becomes a patient."

She gets into spiritual matters --

"Even as a woman shapes the child growing within her, the joys and trials of pregnancy are shaping her, sanctifying her, and teaching her how to depend on others during this season of peculiar service."

Here's the book review.

GLORIOUS THINGS

Glorious things of thee are spoken,

Zion, city of our God!

He, whose Word cannot be broken,

Formed thee for His own abode;

On the Rock of Ages founded,

What can shake thy sure repose?

With salvation’s walls surrounded,

Thou mayst smile at all thy foes.

2

See, the streams of living waters,

Springing from eternal love,

Well supply thy sons and daughters,

And all fear of want remove:

Who can faint while such a river

Ever flows their thirst t’ assuage?

Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,

Never fails from age to age.

3

Round each habitation hov’ring,

See the cloud and fire appear,

For a glory and a cov’ring,

Showing that the Lord is near;

Thus deriving from our banner

Light by night and shade by day,

Safe they feed upon the manna

Which He gives them when they pray.

4

Blest inhabitants of Zion,

Washed in the Redeemer’s blood!

Jesus, whom their souls rely on,

Makes them kings and priests to God;

’Tis His love His people raises

Over self to reign as kings,

And as priests, His solemn praises

Each for a thank off’ring brings.

5

Savior, if of Zion’s city,

I through grace a member am,

Let the world deride or pity,

I will glory in Thy name;

Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,

All his boasted pomp and show;

Solid joys and lasting treasure

None but Zion’s children know.

Paraphrase of Isaiah 2:2-4

Behold! the mountain of the Lord

In latter days shall rise
On mountain tops above the hills,
And draw the wond'ring eyes.

To this the joyful nations round,
All tribes and tongues, shall flow;
Up to the hill of God, they'll say,
And to his house we'll go.

The beam that shines from Zion hill
Shall lighten ev'ry land;
The King who reigns in Salem's tow'rs
Shall all the world command.

Among the nations he shall judge;
His judgments truth shall guide;
His sceptre shall protect the just,
And quell the sinner's pride.

No strife shall vex Messiah's reign,

Or mar those peaceful years;

To ploughshares men shall beat their swords,

To pruning-hooks their spears.

No longer hosts encountering hosts,

Their millions slain deplore;

They hang the trumpet in the hall,

And study war no more.

Come then! Oh come from every land,
To worship at his shrine;
And, walking in the light of God,
With holy beauties shine.

- Michael Bruce, 1768

Tune: Glasgow CM

To the Coy Mrs.

While awaiting the LORD bringing about reconciliation, here’s my feelings from the poem I’ve reworked to call 

To the Coy Mrs. --

Had we but world enough and time, 

This coyness, lady, were no crime. 

We would sit down, and think which way 

To walk, and pass our long love’s day. 

Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side 

Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide 

Of Humber would oblige. I would 

Love you ten years before the flood, 

And you should, if you please, refuse 

Till the conversion of the Jews.