'Till We Meet Again

One of the ways I know a book is well written is when it seems too short. 'Till we Meet Again by Ray and Betty Whipps with Craig Borlase is one of those books.  It is a true World War II account of a U.S. soldier (Ray) who ends up wounded and transferred to a place where U.S. Nurse (Betty) works.  Upon meeting they discover their love for each other.  After promising to marry Betty, Ray gets sent out to the battlefield again and gets captured.  But I knew it had a happy ending before I read it because their picture is on the back of the book as an old, happily married couple (of course, you can assume it too because Betty's name is joined with Ray's on the book cover with the same last name as Ray).   

Told from Ray's first-person dramatized view, Betty's perspective is mainly told from her letters scattered throughout the book.  I found their first meeting very…I don't think that amusing is the word…it was very heartening/encouraging.  Betty had noticed the lack of men who were visibly Christians amongst the soldiers she met and cared for in her duties as a nurse. It just became an understood thing with her, that most of the men she took care of were not Christian, actually, it sounds as though she hadn't met a Christian soldier yet.  Then God brought in the injured Ray.  The first day they met Ray had a Bible visibly on him because he had fallen asleep with it the night before.  When Betty saw him, the first words out of her mouth were not, "how are you?" or, "I'm Betty, what is your name?"  Or something like that, rather it was, "Are you a Christian?"  I found her absolute joy at meeting another Christian delightful. Her first attraction to Ray was not his looks or other superficial things but was the fact that he was a Christian.   

I read the book in one day as it was more of a narrative book than a thought provoking one(not that I wasn't thinking while reading it), generally no deep thinking was inspired, it was just more of a high level observation of God's direction of their lives.  Both Ray and Betty seem to have had a God-focused perspective during the trials He had ordained.  It was very interesting to see this part of God's plan for their lives. 

I received a free copy in exchange for this review (my review did not have to be favorable)

 

This book may be purchased at Amazon.com (and other bookstores)

Marie Durand - By Simonetta Carr

Marie Durand by Simonetta Carr is an interesting, though short, account of the Christian lady.  I didn't know anything about Marie before reading this biography, the name sounded familiar but didn't point to any substantive information in my mind. Now, I understand that she was a French lady living during the 1700s who was imprisoned on account of her brother's being a pastor.  She could have gotten out of prison by denying the faith but did not do so and stayed in in prison for 38 years.   

There are interesting illustrations throughout, and also photographs of items and places from Durand's era.  At the end of the book there is a pronunciation key to help one read and pronounce the French words, a 'Did You Know?' section giving more information about the people and lifestyle of that era, and a letter from Marie to her niece Anne.  Also, I liked the Epilogue, where Carr gives an overview of what happened after Marie died. The 'Age of Reason' or Enlightenment was critiqued quite well, and I think in a way that even young children will understand.  Here is a small excerpt:  "During that Age of Reason, or Enlightenment, as that time became known, they started to reject or ignore most teachings human beings can't fully explain, such as that God works miracles, that Jesus is God, or that God is one in three persons."  I especially liked the statement she gives of Paul Rabaut in this section where he states that, "I will not reject a mystery for the only reason that it cannot be understood."  That is a statement that still fits today.  

The only thing that I believe would make this book better would be for it to have a list of other books of Marie Durand and the times in which she lived, so that any children (or adults) who get a thirst for more information on, or a deeper look at, the subject would have some suggested resources already on hand.  But, despite its shortness, this biographical overview is quite inspiring, it shows children (and adults) a Christian whose faith they may strive to imitate.   

Many thanks to the people at Cross Focused Reviews for sending me a review copy of this book(My review did not have to be favorable.

 

One of the places this book may be purchased is at Amazon.com

Slave

As the book's title suggests, it is a book about the Christian's relationship to God as His slave.  Macarthur explains that the Greek word 'doulos' has not been accurately translated in many(or rather,most) Bible versions.  'Doulos' is usually translated as 'servant'.  But Macarthur points out that 'doulos' actually means 'slave'.  Passages like "well done, good and faithful servant"(Mat 25:23)and, "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ..."(Tit 1:1)should actually translated, "well done thou good and faithful slave."  and "Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ..."

Macarthur shows that the difference between a slave and a servant is significant.  A servant does a job, has a choice as for whom he works for, what work he will do and ultimately works to support himself.  A slave is owned by someone else, does not have a choice for whom he works, but is chosen/bought by someone else.  A slave does not have a choice as to his occupation, does not ultimately provide for himself, the master gives him what he needs. A slave's focus is on pleasing his master. 

This applies to the Christian as well.  A Christian does not have a choice as to whom he serves, he started out as a slave to sin.  But he was was chosen and 'bought' out of the slave market of sin by Christ's blood.  He is now owned by God, and lives to please Him, following Christ's example, Who, "emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross."(Php 2:7-8)  And, quoting from the book, "Unlike free persons, slaves did not have to worry about finding something to eat or somewhere to sleep.  Because their needs were met, they could focus entirely on serving the master...As believers, we can focus on the things God has called us to do, trusting Him to meet our needs.  "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink'?  or 'What will we wear for clothing?'  Jesus told His followers, "Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you"(Matt. 6:31-33).  Those who make pleasing God their highest priority can be confident that He will take care of them."

And, amazingly, God also adopts His slaves, making them His sons, His 'heirs'.  "To think that we, who were once the slaves of sin, the subjects of Satan, and the sons of disobedience, are now and forever the slaves of Christ, the citizens of heaven and the children of God...As His enemies, we did not even deserve to be His slaves.  Yet, He has made us both His slaves and His children.  The incomparable reality of adoption is this: If God is our Master, then He is also our Father.  As Alexander Maclaren, the great Scottish preacher explained, 'If we are slaves, then we are sons and heirs of God through Jesus Christ.'" And here's a quote that Macarthur put in his book by Charles Spurgeon that I really like:"Where our Authorized [King James] Version softly puts it 'servant' it really is 'bond-slave.'  The early saints delighted to count themselves Christ's absolute property, bought by him, owned by him and wholly at his disposal.  Paul even went so far as to rejoice that he had the marks of his Master's brand on him, and he cries, 'Let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.' There was the end of all debate:  he was the Lord's, and the marks of the scourges, the rods, and the stones were the broad-arrow of the King which marked Paul's body as the property of Jesus the Lord.  Now if the saints of old time gloried in obeying Christ, I pray that you and I...may feel that our first object in life is to obey our Lord." 

This is a very good book, and very interesting in discovering more about the Christians true relationship to Christ. This is in my list of favorites.  


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