Becoming an Ordinary Mystic: Spirituality for the Rest of Us
Haase suggests an examination of conscience in light of the 10 Commandments as well as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12). We often ponder how to do the right thing when between a rock and a hard place, and this book helps you to develop “cardiac spirituality,” to respond in a way that balances justice with mercy and compassion.
Just before the pandemic of 2020 shut
down the United States, my family celebrated my 80th birthday at a
local restaurant. My gifts included a beautiful album that reviewed my years
with photos and notes from my children and grandchildren.
The next day two friends surprised me with a seafood dinner and a gift of 80 roses! Through the years, my husband and I have received other gifts as well. But they were intangible gifts—and perhaps not as welcome.
The Gift of Patience:
When I tell
my husband “Lunch is ready,” he asks, “What was that?” When I tell him who called
on the phone, I get the same response. Even with hearing aids, he misses the
first parts of sentences. To compound the problem, my voice has weakened.
But the good news is that we force
each other to be patient. I know I’m going to have to repeat whatever I say.
And he’s learning that he should take a moment to think before he responds. If
he pauses, he often deciphers my words.
Bill is five
years my senior, and I can see the difference this makes. He takes longer to
climb stairs. But I’m patient with him because I know I’m just a few steps
behind him.
As
Christians, we pray to develop the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control (Galatians
5:22-23). Yet so often we chafe against the very things that water that fruit
tree. While we may not enjoy the effort it takes to cultivate an orchard, we can
delight in the fruit that develops. In this case—patience.
The Gift of
Compassion:
Anyone who
has lived several decades has survived losses—losses of loved ones, losses of
jobs, losses of relationships. Losses hurt. You grieve. How can the world go on
as usual? People are pumping gas. Laughing at jokes. Shopping. But you feel
numb. Time heals, but for some losses, it takes much time.
Our youngest
child, our only daughter, returned to her heavenly father just a few hours
after her birth. In more recent years, my four siblings have died along with
two of my husband’s three. And his third sibling, confined to a nursing home
that allows no visitors, suffers from dementia.
A person
never really “gets over” the loss of loved ones. You just learn to go on. You
survive. And as you survive, you feel greater compassion for others
experiencing loss. You mourn with those who mourn because you know how much it
hurts. You’ve received the gift of compassion. Now you pass it on.
The Gift of
Perspective:
Times are
bad. We wonder if end times have arrived. And we’ve had a lot to ponder during
the pandemic. But as you get older, you realize that things have been bad
before. I’m sure Europeans and Asians felt the same way during the Black
Plague. And we’ve had health scares before—scarlet fever, polio, tuberculosis. Diseases
for which we lack inoculation wreak havoc.
But as you age, you find you’ve
survived your share of challenges. You mellow. And you take more of a “this too
shall pass” approach.
Yes, things are bad, but God’s on His throne. We wait and pray and work for the good. We wash our hands, practice social distancing and accept the vaccine. And we trust. “For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him . . . .” (Romans 8:28 NIV).
Wrap Up:
Don’t be
too proud to accept help along your journey. Wear those hearing aids. Audiologists
tell me if a person does not wear hearing aids when they need them, they lose
word discrimination. That means that even if a hearing aid provides the sounds
of speech, the brain no longer interprets them. Conversation adds sparkle to
life. Don’t miss out on it.
Be patient
with spouses and loved ones. After all, you’re on this journey together. So
hold hands and walk on, adjusting to one another’s pace.
Talk to
others about your grief; accept their gestures of comfort. Let them sit with
you and pray with you. Join a grief support group. Seek professional help if you
feel you would benefit. Share your perspective with others by telling them how
you’ve survived challenges by God’s grace.
Unwrap
those gifts of aging. They add beauty not only to your life but they bless the
lives of others as you pass them on. Your family and friends will love you all
the more for your patience and compassion. And your perspective offers hope to
a generation challenged by the pandemic. Things may not be perfect, but they
may be perfectly fine—if we embrace the gifts of aging.
Here was a woman who overcame many challenges. She loved fellow
college student Jim Elliot, a man who felt celibacy was God’s highest calling
in life. Fortunately, he finally recognized marriage as a high calling as well.
Elisabeth’s notes on translating the language of the Waodani tribe were stolen.
And the greatest tragedy was the death of her husband in Ecuador at the hands
of the very tribesmen they tried to reach for Christ.
The book started slow, giving details of Elisabeth’s childhood, but I soon became engrossed in the life of this remarkable woman and the events that shaped her.
Elisabeth kept a detailed diary, and in Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, author Ellen Vaugh shares many of these details with us. Vaugh also interviewed people who knew Elisabeth, including her daughter Valerie. And Vaugh was given access to letters that show Elisabeth’s struggles and temptations, yet her determination to follow God’s call.
I liked the many quotes Vaugh included such as this one from missionary icon Hudson Taylor: “It is not what we set ourselves to do that really tells in blessings, so much as what He is doing through us when we least expect it, if only we are in abiding fellowship with him.” This proved true for Elisabeth Elliot, who often felt her work had no impact.
Although I’ve read Elliot’s books and even heard her speak, I never knew of the ongoing challenges she faced with missionary Rachel Saint.
The book was published by B & H Publishing in 2020 and includes pages of notes of documentation. It also includes photos that introduce you to Elisabeth’s life with the Waodani.
Any Christian facing challenges in carrying out his or her calling will feel blessed through reading this book, and all of us can benefit from the insight and wisdom on its pages.
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| Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands |
You may think you know the Ten Commandments, but this book will open your eyes to ways you may be thoughtlessly breaking some of them.
Take the third word, for instance: “You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain . . . .” Did you know that in the Ancient Near East the name expressed the sum total of a person’s character? And since God is holy, compassionate, just, etc., to pray “in His Name” is to pray according to His character. If we preach a moral code we don’t uphold, we misuse God’s name.
It’s hard to express in a short review how eye-opening this book can be. Author Jen Wilkin is a Bible teacher and an advocate for biblical literacy who has authored multiple books. Find her at JenWilkin.net.
I borrowed my copy of this book from a library, but I plan to buy this book because I need time to think through the end of chapter verses for meditation and questions for reflection. For instance, at the end of the third chapter: What situations are most likely to trigger you to misuse the name of the Lord? How could you change our typical response . . . ?
I recommend this book because passages on the Ten Commandments have become so familiar we may read them without thinking through their implications.
