I've found myself getting nostalgic lately.  It started yesterday when a good friend came by my office to say goodbye.  While I just moved into the area and was excited to be near to him, I recently learned that he had taken a ministry job elsewhere and would be leaving.  During my high school years, he and I were at the same church, and we have a lot of great memories together.  When he left my office yesterday, I found myself missing those "good 'ole days" and was reminded of all the other people that made those years special who are now scattered seemingly everywhere and far from me.

The reminiscence continued last night as my high school class discussed on Facebook the planning of our 10 year reunion and joked about our many stories together.  Great people and great times!  Those times are past now, and those people are no longer close by.

It happened again this morning.  As I read through my friends' walls on Facebook and as I began to peruse the Tweets of those I follow, I was reminded that dozens and dozens of close friends of mine are no longer in the dorm room next door or in my next class or just the town over.

I love making new friends, but the nature of life is that one is often saying "goodbye" or "'til next time" to old ones.

How thankful I am, then, for the reality of an eternal home in heaven!  In that place, there are everlasting greetings, and never a parting call.  In that place, all my friends will be gathered to enjoy eternal fellowship.  In that place, earthly memories will fade into eternal realities.  In that place, nostalgia will be replaced with full realization!

So, perhaps God gives the spirit of nostalgia as a reminder to us that "this world is not our home" and that God is one Friend and Father who "never leaves us."

If you're looking for another devotional tool to enrich or refresh your walk with God, let me recommend The Valley of Vision.  This is a collection of short Puritan prayers, which contain earnest emotion, rich doctrine, and personal hunger for God's fellowship.  The prayers are structured in such a way to aid meditation and reflection, and the prayers are organized around key themes.

While I've known of the benefit of this little book for a long time, my problem has often been knowing where to start with it or how to use it.  Thankfully, Joe Thorn solved that problem for me over at his blog.  Joe has prepared a schedule that enables you to read through this book in 13 weeks, by meditating on three prayers a day (at 9:00, 12:00, and 3:00) Monday-Friday.  You can read his own comments about this devotional aid and download the schedule here.  You can purchase the book from Amazon, either as leather-bound or soft-cover.

As a sample of the rich benefit this little resource offers, I've quoted the first prayer below.

The Valley of Vision
Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
   Where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
   hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
   that the way down is the way up,
   that to be low is to be high,
   that the broken heart is the healed heart,
   that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
   that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
   that to have nothing is to possess all,
   that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
   that to give is to receive,
   that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
   and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,
   Thy life in my death,
   Thy joy in my sorrow,
   Thy grace in my sin,
   Thy riches in my poverty,
   Thy glory in my valley.

A pastor in Ohio started a ministry of song-writing about 4 years ago.  His hymns are tremendous and can be freely used from his website, www.churchworksmedia.com.  One of my favorite hymns is one he wrote earlier this year, entitled, Draw Near Through Christ.  I've copied the text below.  I'm always been especially stirred by the theme of the cherubs throughout each stanza.

If you talk, at all, you need to read Paul David Tripp‘s book, War of Words (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing Co.).

In chapter 9, Paul deals with the issue of confrontation, but he defines and addresses it differently than most.  Paul starts the chapter by demonstrating why most people dread confrontation; he then suggests “a very different way” that centers on the Gospel.  After discussing the story of Nathan’s confrontation of David, Tripp concludes that this story “gives us a real window…into God’s covenant commitment to intervene in our blindness and rebellion with His redemptive grace” (p. 141).  He continues, “This deliverance [cf. Colossians 1:13] is not the end of Christ’s work of salvation; it is the beginning.  Once He has broken the dominion of darkness over us, He then begins to remove all the darkness within us so that we may be holy as He is holy” (p. 141).  Therefore, the Gospel not only deals with the sinfulness of our talk, it also provides positive ministry-focused “biblical guardrails for all that we say to one another” (p. 142).  In his own words, “Our speaking must have the principle work of God’s kingdom [justification and sanctification, cf. p. 141] in view….our talk with one another has been ordained by God to be a vital part of that work.”

At last, not only am I gripped with my need to focus on my speech in my sanctification process because of its destructive power (cf. James 3), but I am also amazed to discover the potential sanctifying power in my speech.  Indeed, does not Ephesians 4:29 catch us off guard by informing us that we can be channels of God’s grace to each other?  Think about that…consider what God’s grace is…consider what God’s grace does…consider the benefits of God’s grace…consider how much you feel your need for God’s grace–you can be the channel of that very power to fellow believers!

Up to now, it is apparent that Tripp has been providing us with an alternative understanding of confrontation.  On p. 142, he does that clearly by stating what was for me the most profitable sentence in the chapter, “Intervention…is a lifestyle, a commitment.” He follows up with, “In some way our talk should always have ongoing redemption in view.”

To explain that statement, Tripp climaxes this chapter with a brief commentary on Hebrews 3:12-15, cited for you here:

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

In a section entitled, “Each One a Helper, Each Needing Help,” Tripp summarizes three main points from that passage that relate to a lifestyle of intervention:

1. Frequency: an everyday readiness – “everyone ministering everyday…[with] an attitude of readiness!” (pp. 148-49)
2. Spirit: the humility of the Gospel – “the only thing I bring to the table is my weakness and my sin”; therefore, “I come…to lead you to the only One who has strength and deliverance to offer!” (p. 150)
3. The Message: encouragement to persevere – “Don’t give up! There is reason to continue! Be encouraged! Don’t turn away! Believe in God’s promises! Be tender in heart and keep following the Lord!” (p. 150).  “Grace…is all we are called to offer others” (p. 152).

In light of Tripp’s teaching in this chapter, let me suggest two main conclusions and applications that I came to personally:

1. I NEED other believers daily to point out sin (actual or potential), to point out a lack of focus, and to point me to Christ.  The reality is that I get distracted, discouraged, hardened, and apathetic.  How I praise God for those who point me back to Christ and His spiritual realities!  This certainly happens on Sunday, but I know from experience (as well as the Bible’s frequent call to “daily” or “regular” ministry towards each other) that if it only happens on Sunday, that’s not enough.  How I praise God, then, for those who, Monday-Saturday, point me to Christ and inflame my passion for and adoration of Him with their genuine grace-filled conversations (even 30-second ones), encouraging emails, Christ-exalting Facebook statuses, Bible-reminding Tweets, and love/good works-provoking blogs (cf. Hebrews 10:24).  Fellow-believers, I need your “intervention” every day of each week!
2. Other believers NEED me to point out their sin (actual or potential), to point our their lack of focus, and to point them to Christ.  I can do this without engaging in the unbiblical, yet normal, style of confrontation.  While “intervention” will at times mean a pointed rebuke (like Nathan to David), it should also take the daily form of encouragement to persevere.  As I interact daily with believers, I must woo them to Christ (cf. Hosea 2:14); I should focus them by emphasizing what they do have–the blessings of the Gospel–rather than what they are lacking; I can energize them by ministering the grace of Christ.  In my 30-second conversation between work assignments or classes, in my Facebook statuses, with my emails, at the lunch table, etc. “intervention” must be a lifestyle!

Friends, be afraid about destructive potential of your speech (cf. James 3), but be empowered by the responsibility to use your speech to minister grace to your brothers and sisters in Christ.  In this way, we can have a more far-reaching and a more ongoing ministry with people than our pastor can have…he may own the pulpit for a few hours on Sunday and Wednesday, but we can preach to ourselves and others the wonderful grace of God 24/7!  Let’s do it…we need each other!