Jesus Is My Friend by Sonseed

I just came across this short music video of a song called "Jesus Is My Friend" by a group called Sonseed. It is definitely an interesting song, so I thought that I should post it on here to get feedback from others. Do you like it? Hate it? Maybe somewhere in between? Let me know what you think.

Praise Him And Lift Him Up!

I've had a song by Gary Oliver stuck in my mind for several days called "Holy, Holy, Holy". The lyrics go like this:

Holy, ho--ly, holy,
Holy, ho--ly, holy,
Holy is the lord, god al-mighty.
Worthy to receive glory,
Worthy to receive honor,
Worthy to receive all our praise to-day.

Praise him, praise him and lift him up;
Praise him, exalt his name forever.
Praise him, praise him and lift him up;
Praise him, exalt his name forever.

Repeat all

Praise him, praise him and lift him up.
Praise him, praise him and lift him up!

May God use this powerful worship song to draw you closer to Himself this week!

Some Reflections On Father's Day In A Broken World

As you all know, today marks another Father's Day. For some, this means an exciting day filled with barbeques, time enjoyed together with family, and the re-telling of familiar old stories. In many ways, Father's Day actually represents what is best in American society-a traditional emphasis on strong families, an attempt to honor our parents, and a time to slow down and consider exactly what it is that our fathers have meant to us. I know that for myself, I am reminded today that I have a great dad-certainly not perfect, but one who served as an incredible role model to my brother and I as we were growing up and even since we have moved away from home. For many of you reading this as well, you can certainly share glowing reviews of how your fathers have been a powerful instrument of God in your lives to make you more like Jesus.

But this glowing review of Father's day is only one side of the story. While many are enjoying this day and rejoicing in God's gift to them in the person of their dad, many others are wishing that today simply didn't exist as a holiday. I can't count the number of times when people have told me that they hate their fathers-they simply can't stand their existence. For some, this is due to the fact that their parents were a little overbearing and controlling and they just didn't respond well to the pressure, but for others, parents in general and fathers in particular bring back memories of abuse-physical, emotional, sexual, and spiritual. When Father's Day roles around every year for these people, then, it is just like rubbing salt into a festering wound. Father's Day doesn't make them respect their fathers, it just makes them wish all the more that they were dead.

Now to be clear, I need to speak directly to some of you who might think that this negative representation of Father's Day is unrealistic. If you have been raised in a great family (or even just a decent one), you probably can't imagine how someone would just hate their dad all the more on Father's Day. I was initially surprised when I started running into people like this, but it began to make more and more sense as time passed. Think about the situation this way: God has designed the family as the foundational unit of society, with a father, mother, and (under normal circumstances) children. In this design, both the father and mother are critical, but for different roles. The mother tends to take a more nurturing, caring, and compassionate role, while the father prepares the children for the life ahead of them, teaching them essential life skills, developing their character, and giving them a sense of competency (although there are obvious areas of overlap between these roles of the father and mother). Because the father plays such a critical role in preparing children for their life ahead, then, he is the source of incredible blessing or incredible pain. If the father does his job right, a son or daughter will be more or less ready to go out into the world and be successful. If they don't, the situation is much different, and life will seem disordered, confusing, even chaotic. Because of this, you will find that if there are problems between parents and children, the children will tend to be more resentful toward their fathers than their mothers. What is more, this dynamic also suggests to me that perhaps the biggest problem in American society today is not theft, murder, rape, pornography, or adultery; the biggest problem today is fatherlessness.

So how should we respond to this problem of fatherlessness? Many people who come to Christ out of broken homes struggle with knowing exactly how to honor their parents, especially if they have been such incredible jerks and deadbeats. We should say first of all that honoring parents like this does not mean that we pretend they are something they are really not. If your dad wasn't what he should have been, you have a right to be angry, and it isn't healthy to repress this anger (there is a time for forgiveness, but denial isn't forgiveness). Instead of playing tricks on yourself and making what perhaps wasn't a good father into a saint, consider something else. A close friend and mentor of mine once shared this incredible truth with me specifically when talking about fatherlessness: "How do you honor your father and mother when they let you down? You honor them by living the kind of life they should have lived." And that's it-that's the solution (however hard it might be) to honoring your dad if he was a deadbeat this Father's Day. You can honor your father the most by living the kind of life he should have lived.

Beyond this, if you come from a good, solid family that hasn't experienced some of these problems, you aren't totally free from responsibility. We live in the midst of a generation of people who simply have not had the kind of fathers that they needed. We need to be creatively and prayerfully finding ways to reach out to them with the strength and compassion that we have gained from our own fathers. This could take many different shapes and forms, but for me, one way that I have been able to do this is through discipling and mentoring believers who are still young in their faith. Over the past five years, I have had the privilege of being a mentor of sorts to three young believers who came from disfunctional homes. These are always challenging situations in a lot of ways, but as I have worked with them, studied the Scriptures together with them, encouraged them, and prayed with them, I have always come away encouraged, realizing that it was only because of the foundation that my parents laid for me that I can be an instrument of God's grace to others in need. Whatever form this might take for you I can't say for sure, but you can be sure of this: if you came from a "healthy" family and had loving parents, you are one among a shrinking minority in our country, and you must not take this privilege for granted.

O God,
We thank you for these men
Men who have taken on the impossible task of following in Your footsteps
We thank you for their courage and strength

And our prayer is that as they learn what it means to be a father
That You would Father them, and apprentice them
We pray that you would teach them how to be good fathers
no matter how old or young their children are.

Give them hearts like your heart
That they may become known for
Compassion, tenderness, and mercy.
May they live lives full of love and grace.
May they not be afraid to discipline
And may they lead their families with great wisdom and gentleness

Anoint them to be warriors in Your kingdom
To wage war for their families in prayer
To be defenders and guardians of all that is true and good
Make them aware of the spiritual battle that You call them to engage in

(Prayer taken from http://www.poem4today.com/fathers-day-prayer-and-blessing.html)

What Does It Mean To Fear The Lord?

I did some research a couple years ago on the concept of "the fear of the Lord", focusing in particular on how this theme finds expression in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes). I thought you might find it helpful to look through the results of this research, since it is an incredibly important aspect of our life in Christ. As you can see, the research itself is a bit long, so you might bookmark the site and come back to peruse it as you have time. Also, be aware that rather than using the English title "Lord" for God, I chose to use the four letters YHWH, representing (as far as we can tell) the way that God's covenantal name would have been written in Hebrew.

The Fear of YHWH in the Wisdom Literature

Various Uses and Facets of “The Fear of YHWH” in the Wisdom Literature

1. The fear of YHWH falls upon mankind when God displays His majesty and power (Job 13:11, 23:15, 31:23, 37:22-37:24).
Job 37:22-37:24: “Out of the north comes golden splendor; around God is awesome majesty. The Almighty-we cannot find Him; He is exalted in power and He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness. Therefore men fear Him; He does not regard any who are wise of heart.”

2. The fear of YHWH stops the mouths of sinful humans and leaves them speechless (Job 9:34-9:35; Ecclesiastes 5:7).
Job 9:34-9:35: “Let Him remove His rod from me, and let not dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak and not fear Him; but I am not like that in myself.”
Ecclesiastes 5:7: “For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.”

3. The fear of YHWH leads one to turn away from evil and to live an upright life according to God’s commandments (Job 1:1, 1:8, 1:9, 2:3, 4:6, 28:28; Proverbs 3:7-3:8, 8:13, 14:2, 14:16, 16:6, 23:17; Ecclesiastes 7:16-7:18, 8:12-8:13, 12:13-12:14).
Job 1:1: “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.”
Proverbs 3:7: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”
Ecclesiastes 8:12: “Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.”

4. The fear of YHWH is an attitude of devotion, reverence, dependence, and humility before God (Job 6:14, 15:2-15:4, 22:4, 25:2; Proverbs 15:33, 22:4, 24:21-24:22, 28:14, 31:30; Ecclesiastes 3:14, 5:7, 7:16-7:18).
Job 15:2-15:4: “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge and fill himself with the east wind? Should he argue with useless talk, or with words which are not profitable? Indeed, you do away with reverence and hinder meditation before God.”
Proverbs 15:33: “The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.”

5. The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7, 1:24-1:29, 2:1-2:5, 9:7-9:12, 14:16, 15:33).
Job 28:28: “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’”
Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

6. The fear of YHWH is a source of hope which enables one to persevere with integrity through adverse situations (Job 2:3, 4:6, 6:14; Proverbs 14:26).
Job 4:6: “Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?”
Proverbs 14:26: “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and his children will have refuge.”

7. The fear of YHWH brings with it riches, healing, honor, and life (Proverbs 3:7-3:8, 9:7-9:12, 10:27, 14:27, 19:23, 22:4, 28:14, 29:25, 31:30).
Proverbs 10:27: “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.”
Proverbs 22:4: “The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, honor, and life.”

8. The fear of YHWH, when rejected, results in judgment and calamity (Proverbs 1:24-1:29, 24:21-24:22, 28:14; Ecclesiastes 12:13-12:14).
Proverbs 24:21-24:22: “My son, fear the LORD and the king; do not associate with those who are given to change, for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?”
Ecclesiastes 12:13-12:14: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

9. The fear of YHWH distinguishes the righteous from the wicked and the wise from the foolish (Proverbs 1:7, 9:7-9:12, 10:27, 14:2, 14:16, 23:17, 28:14; Ecclesiastes 8:12-8:13, 12:13-12:14).
Proverbs 14:2: “He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises Him.

Theological Conclusions

For non-Christians and new believers who approach the Bible today, the Old Testament picture of a God who is to be feared is often startling and confusing, because it seems to conflict so much with the gracious, compassionate, and forgiving God who gave His Son on behalf of humanity in the New Testament. When confronted with a central Old Testament theme such as "the fear of YHWH", many readers easily become bewildered, and might even give up any hope of reconciling the images of God which are presented in the two testaments. Such widespread confusion shows the need for the concept of the fear of YHWH to be explained further.

In the Old Testament, specifically the Wisdom Literature (Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes), the fear of YHWH is a theme which draws a significant amount of attention. In these particular books, the fear of YHWH is something which found its' origin in the majesty and power of YHWH, the God of Israel. The fear of the Almighty was not something which men and women could create on their own; rather, it was an attitude which fell upon a person when YHWH displayed His glory, majesty, and power. The result of a man or woman glimpsing the majesty of God was a revelation of their own sinfulness. The one receiving the fear of YHWH was often left speechless, and soon afterward they were moved to turn away from their sin and to obey God's commandments. Although the fear of YHWH was not a guarantee that a person would never commit sin again, it certainly appears to have been a force which caused men and women to avoid sin and to live lives that were honoring to God.

This same fear which motivated the saints of the Old Testament to honor God is active in the lives of believers in Jesus Christ today. In the same way that the fear of YHWH fell upon a person when God displayed His majesty in the past, the fear of God falls upon people today who see the majesty of God in His word and through His people. This revelation of God causes sinful men and women to recognize their own guilt and due condemnation before God. The person who sees their guilt before God will also see their need of a savior, and they will then be able to make the decision to place their faith and trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. The result of this decision is a life of repentance in which men and women continually turn away from evil deeds and do the things which are good and pleasing in the sight of YHWH.

In addition to describing the majesty of God as the source of the fear of YHWH, the Wisdom Literature speaks on various occasions about the effect of the fear of YHWH in the life of an individual. In the life of the man or woman who feared YHWH, characteristics such as devotion, reverence, dependence, and humility before God were often apparent. The fear of YHWH also produced wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in the one who depended upon God. Furthermore, the fear of YHWH could be a source of confidence in difficult and adverse situations, because the one fearing YHWH served a God who was able and willing to protect those who served Him. Finally, the fear of YHWH was said to bring certain benefits to a person, including riches, healing, honor, and life.

For the believer in Jesus Christ, the result of the fear of God is similar to the result of the fear of YHWH as seen in biblical examples such as Job. Although it is by no means clear that people today are subject to the same manner of testing that Job was put to, it is apparent that when a man or a woman trusts in Jesus Christ for their salvation, a changed life is the result. Followers of Jesus Christ have lives that are marked by devotion, reverence, dependence, and humility before God. In addition, trust in Jesus Christ can be an incredible source of confidence and hope in the midst of the most difficult circumstances. In terms of riches, healing, honor, and life, there are even some limited parallels in the lives of saints today. While Christians are certainly not promised the fullness of such blessings in the present age, it is clear that restored relationships, physical healing, renewed purpose, and emotional well-being can all be the genuine results of trusting in God. For the Christian, then, trusting in Jesus Christ is in many ways similar to the fear of YHWH as described in the Wisdom Literature.

While a discussion of the source and the effect of the fear of YHWH helps to clear up misunderstanding regarding this theme, any study would be incomplete without noting the relationship between the fear of YHWH and the justice of God. The Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament, in addition to anything else it might say about the fear of YHWH, is specific in its' assertion that this fear was a source of deliverance from judgment. This suggests the fact that even the person possessing the fear of YHWH was not perfect in thought, word, and deed, but was rather covered or protected from God's judgment. The Wisdom Literature also speaks to the fact that the deciding characteristic between the righteous and the wicked was precisely the fear of YHWH. Therefore, the wicked man was the one who lived in the way which came naturally to him, whereas the righteous man was the one who feared YHWH and obeyed His commandments as a style of life.

The concept of the fear of YHWH in many ways pointed forward to the sacrifice of Christ. While the person in the Wisdom Literature who feared YHWH was said to be righteous and wise, there are other statements that make it clear that no human person who has ever lived has been “good” in the truest sense of the term. Ecclesiastes itself says in 7:20, “Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and never sins.” This contrast of the righteous on the one hand and the sinfulness of all humanity on the other demonstrates the fact that in order for anyone to be righteous in God’s sight, righteousness must first be a declaration, not merely a description. In order to go any further, one would have to go outside of the Wisdom Literature. It is needless to say, however, that this seeming contradiction in itself points ahead to the work of Christ on the cross, through which God could reconcile men to Himself, declaring them righteous by faith and then cleansing their lives of sin through His Spirit.

Although the Wisdom Literature is quite unified in its' presentation of the fear of YHWH, it must be mentioned that the diverse nature of the books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes could have an impact upon the way in which one interprets the fear of YHWH. Proverbs, which is made up of many "wise sayings" and generally true observations about life, presents an idealistic view of the world in which the righteous always prospered and the wicked always perished. Job and Ecclesiastes, on the other hand, deal with the concept of evil in realistic and worldly terms, specifically addressing the issue of how it appeared that the righteous suffered and the wicked prospered in life. This contrast in perspective suggests that when discussing the fear of YHWH, the results of blessing, riches, healing, honor, and life should not necessarily be viewed as occurring in the present life, but perhaps could be seen as having an eschatological reference which will find its' fulfillment in the coming age.

This final observation is instructional when considering the operation of the fear of YHWH in the life of the Christian today. To the unbiased observer, the Christian life is one which seems to be filled with sorrow, suffering, misery, and pain at various points. While some of this could be the result of personal sin, it is clear from the example of Job that much of the adversity faced in life has unknown causes. Regardless of the origin of adversity, the concept of the fear of YHWH does indeed have eschatological overtones, because the blessings, riches, healing, honor, and life spoken of will certainly come to the one who fears God. This hope of blessing is not based on human wisdom or a careless expectancy, but rather finds its’ origin in the nature and character of the God being feared. Since God is a God who keeps His promises and cares for those who serve Him, He can be trusted to do good to those who fear Him. While more could be said regarding this topic as it finds expression in the entire Old Testament canon, it can safely be said that the fear of YHWH is not simply a concept that people in the past interacted with, but is rather a reality which exists today, and which marks the lives of those who have been reconciled to God through the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ.

Dancing As An Analogy For The Life Of The Spirit

I was working on translating Romans 8:5-17 earlier today, and I was struck by how Paul described the work of the Spirit in the life of the believer. In my humble translation, here is how Paul stated verses 12-17:

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh that we should live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh, you will certainly die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the evil deeds of the body, you will live. For as many that are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again unto fear but you received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry out: “Abba, Father.” The same Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, also heirs: on the one hand heirs of God, and on the other hand fellow heirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him in order that we might also be glorified with Him.

The thing that struck me in particular about this passage is how Paul described the work of the Spirit leading believers. This got me to thinking: what exactly does it mean to be led by the Spirit of God?

To be fair, I suppose that being led by the Spirit of God could take many different shapes and forms for different people. At the same time, as I was mulling these verses over in my mind, I realized that there was one thing that characterizes this work of the Spirit more than anything else: dancing! I came to the conclusion today that dancing is possibly one of the best analogies that I can think of to describe the life of the Spirit-His leading, to be particular. I'm certainly not trying to say that dancing is what Paul had in mind here, but I do think that it encapsulates the heart of what Paul was trying to get at.

So you might ask at this point, "How does dancing resemble the leading of the Spirit?" Think about it this way: when a man and a woman are dancing, the man will generally take the lead, while the woman follows (depending on the genre of music, of course). As the man leads, he guides the woman in the direction the couple goes, supporting her, compensating for her mistakes, and helping her to feel the rhythm of the music. The man obviously does not do everything (it would look pretty silly for a man to be out on the dance floor with basically a lifeless body in his arms!), but he does set the tone for everything that happens. I believe that it is this same way with the leading of the Spirit-we are like the woman in this analogy, being directed, supported, and encouraged as we "dance" our way through the Christian journey. There are obvious problems with this analogy, to be sure, but I think it gets at the heart of Paul's thought in a new and fresh way.

Beyond simply being a one-sided analogy of the life of the Spirit, the idea of dancing also helps us understand how things can go wrong. When a couple is dancing, it will take them time to get used to each other-to learn each other's likes and dislikes, nuances and subtleties-these sorts of things. At first, it will probably be pretty awkward. The more they are together, though, they will come to know each other so well that they can anticipate their partner's moves. What is more, under certain circumstances one of the partners might even chose to reject the lead of the other, instead choosing to do their own thing and try to make it on their own. Isn't this so descriptive of what it is like to be led by the Spirit? I am convinced that the Spirit is always leading a genuine believer, but it is up to us to "keep in step" and follow His lead, if you will. Sometimes we might grow stubborn or get frustrated, but when we do this, it will always lead to regret, dissatisfaction, and bitterness. "Dancing" with the Spirit always works best when we follow His lead, rely on His strength, and trust Him until the end.

What do you think? Do you feel like dancing provides an adequate analogy for understanding the leading of the Spirit? These are all just thoughts that are fresh in my mind, and I'm sure that I can improve on them, but it was invigorating for me to see this new perspective today as I gained new insight into just what it is that God is up to as He seeks to shape me more and more into the image of His beloved Son. This realization might have just been for me, but I will hope it will also be of some encouragement for you, also.

George Street: A Testimony On How God Can Use Man To Achieve Great Things

This is the story of a man who spent his life being faithful to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. He didn't see any results right away, but he persevered. How about you-are you persevering in evangelism despite any immediate results?

What Should We Make Of Those Who Use Violence To Oppose Abortion?

In light of last week's post and today's topic, I realize that it might look like this is turning into an "anti-abortion" blog; this is really not my intention, these two posts have just happened to come back to back due to circumstances. The circumstances which led me to the topic for today's post obviously come from last week's murder of late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller by Scott Roeder. This act has been creating a lot of controversy in society in general and the media in particular, and it made me realize that it might be worth considering the question, "What should we make of those who use violence to oppose abortion?"

This is obviously not a purely academic question, because there have been many (of whom Scott Roeder is simply the most recent) who have either attempted or succeeded in using violence to "promote" the pro-life movement. Beyond this, there are scores more who would not themselves use violence, but who nevertheless were glad to hear of Dr. Tiller's death, seeing how he will no longer be able to preform this heinous action. Finally, there are perhaps even a greater number who would suggest that while the time is not right at the present to use violence, a time may come when that will be necessary. I have actually spoken with a prominent figure in the pro-life movement who suggested that it is conceivable that the day will come when deadly violence will be appropriate to stop abortion doctors from practicing their trade. He didn't at that time believe that this time for violence had arrived, but I was amazed that he could not rule out the possibility that it would ever come. In light of these trends, the question of "what should we make of those who use violence to oppose abortion" is incredibly relevant.

First of all, in answering this question we must recognize that while abortion is clearly an evil action, we are not free to simply exercise justice and retribution however we see fit. Paul taught us clearly in Romans 13:1-7:

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

While all Christians would agree with this statement in principle, not all would view its' proper application in the same light. Some suggest that while we should normally obey the government, we are not obligated to be subject to it when it oversteps its' God-given parameters of operation. As a result, if the government sanctions murder, we would have a legitimate right to rise up and overthrow the government in this understanding. This is certainly an interesting perspective, but it is entirely without biblical foundation. In the time of Christ and His apostles, the Roman Empire sanctioned atrocities that were quite a bit greater than anything we have ever witnessed, and they submitted to the government nevertheless. They didn't spend all their time complaining about their "inalienable" rights; rather, they submitted themselves to the government and entrusted their fate to God. When Paul says, "Be in subjection", then, it doesn't seem plausible to understand this as anything other than a commandment to be in subjection, no matter how unpleasant this might be.

Secondly, in discussing our response to abortion-related violence, we need to remember that violence rarely, if ever, is a constructive way of accomplishing the good which we are seeking. This is admittedly an argument based on pragmatism, but hopefully an accurate argument nevertheless. When Mr. Roeder decided to take matters into his own hands and presume upon the judgment of God, he became a source of tremendous harm to the pro-life movement. Why is this? Because from now on, people will inevitably associate people supporting the pro-life cause with vigilante justice, cowardly murder, and above all, a lack of love and compassion. Not only does Mr. Roeder's action not promote the changes we seek in this country, but it also makes it likely that the movement towards outlawing abortion will be slowed for the time being. And if you want to try suggesting that at least Dr. Tiller will no longer be able to practice abortion, you need to recognize that if a woman who is seeking an abortion is determined, she will be able to end her pregnancy elsewhere. In terms of how things practically work themselves out, then, Scott Roeder's foolish, cowardly, and wicked decision was a disaster on all fronts.

Third and finally, we ought to observe that using violence to promote our desired goal (namely, the protection of the unborn) cannot possibly be distorted to be seen as in keeping with the character of God. We learn from 2 Pet. 3:9 that "the Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." Obviously we must admit that God was able to stop Mr. Roeder's murderous behavior and He chose not to; nevertheless, on the authority of this passage I can confidently say that it was God's desire that Dr. Tiller should have come to repentance. If our desires are in line with God's desires, how could we possibly violently and sinfully end the life of one that God loves and cares for? This third and final observation in my judgment is the most poignant of them all, and it suggests to me that when we hear of those in the pro-life movement who were gladdened by the murder of Dr. Tiller, something is radically, radically wrong.