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Commending Your Own Dunghill

In the morning I've been reading through The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers. It's a bit like praying through convicting poetry--beautiful and searching. Pages 122-123 contain a prayer called "Self-Knowledge" which begins with these lines:

"Searcher of Hearts, it is a good day to me when thou givest me a glimpse of myself; Sin is my greatest evil, but thou art my greatest good; I have cause to loathe myself, and not to seek self-honour, for no one desires to commend his own dunghill."

No one desires to commend his own dunghill. What a phrase. And notice how this godly man connects seeking your own honour with commending your own dunghill. I've been thinking about this because  seeking my own honour exactly what I do. Would you like to know what I'm good at? Just ask me. I'll tell you. 

However, the only reason there is any honour about me or anything honourable in my life is because of the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit.

If you were to stand me next to my co-worker you would see two women close in age, in height, in work ethic, and two women that are agreeable and most of our co-workers really like both of us. But if you spend more time with us you will find that one of us swears like a sailor, can't remember the number of men she's slept with, does drugs, and get's drunk, while the other is a virgin, never swears, observes the Lord's Day, and is always in possession of her mind because she does not do drugs or get drunk. What is the difference? One of us has experienced the grace of God and has the Holy Spirit living within in her heart, and one of us doesn't. 

If the difference is God, then what do I have to boast of when people commend my life? God. Logically, I can only point to God as the One responsible for any good in me.

It is a good thing to share our testimonies of what God has done in our lives, but let us take care the we commend the work of the Lord and are not merely boasting of ourselves. May we seek the honour of our Lord, rather than honour our own dunghills. 

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. Galations 6:14-16 NASV


What I'm Reading 

    • 30 Years a Watchtower Slave by William J. Schnell. This is about the Jehovah Witness organization. We're doing it for book club this month. 
    • The Second Book of the Dun Cow, Lamentations by Walter Wangerin Jr. I enjoyed the first one so much I'm working on the second 
    • I also recently skim read through Linda Chaikin's Heart of India series. When I say skim I really mean skim, but I did appreciate that her main character acts like a Christian throughout the whole narrative, not like a heathen who only prays when she's in trouble. 
    • Taking a break from praying through Psalms and also a break from J.C. Ryle's commentary on Mark. I've been reading through the New Testament letters and The Valley of Vision in the morning instead.


What I'm Enjoying 
    • Fresh fruits and veggies
    • Naps
    • Listening to Phil Wickham's new releases, particularly this one.
    • Paddle boarding 
    • The leaves on the trees. 
    • Wearing dresses in this warm weather 


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