Bits & Pieces (4/23/13)

Cries of the Heart – “In the Psalms, David described himself as one wounded and crying in his bed at night. This same David spoke of the happiness that came when he took his cry to the Lord. With that same confidence, let us begin our journey toward a response to the cries of our hearts. We might be surprised to know how much bottled-up sentiment will be uncovered. When God speaks we will not respond by saying, ‘Don’t say a thing;’ rather, we can rest in God’s comfort, knowing that God has bothered to hear our cries, to know our tragedies, and to come near in our need.”

Brennan Manning & Me – Writing on Brennan Manning’s death, the author gives a moving tribute and states “If you read him, please remember that the Holy Spirit is working through him in spite of all his personal failings. Thank God, because that’s how He works in all of us.”

Ware on Louisville Teammate – Kevin Ware’s injury was part of the national conversation about the NCAA tournament. Too bad what his teammate did in response was not also as widely told. (H/T)

The Sage’s Lament – It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer volume of material that is published. Tim Challies (with a little help from Thomas Manton) reminds us of the opportunity that lies therein.

Why Does God Command Us to Serve Him? – “God doesn’t [need] anything.  He doesn’t need our worship, our work or our money.  So why does God command us to worship, serve, and give our money to him?”

How Tim Keller Made Peace With the Wrath of God – “Because if there is no wrath by God on sin, and there is no such thing as Hell, not only does that actually make what happened to Jesus inexplicable—Jesus staggering the way He is, asking God, “Is there any other way?” [and] sweating blood means that He was wimpier than hundreds of His followers, if there was nothing like [God’s wrath]—but…the main thing is, if you don’t believe in the wrath and Hell, it trivializes what He’s done.” (H/T)

9 Things You Should Know About Margaret Thatcher – The Iron Lady died recently. Here are some things you may be surprised to learn, including the fact that she helped develop soft-serve ice cream.