I haven't told this story in quite a while.....well....let me explain why I'm telling it again. It was in the late 90s....and I was listening to a John MacArthur program....Grace To You....gty.org....which thankfully was my habit back then....and at the end of the program he offered a free book just by calling the ministry. I did not take advantage of it....but a short time later I kind of regretted it....and the title of the book peaked my curiosity....so I ordered it from a bookstore. That book was Valley Of Vision, a Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. Sounds exciting doesn't it? It was published by The Banner Of Truth Trust....and edited by Arthur Bennett.
Long story short....well maybe not....it became our prayer before dinner....and has remained so for now about twenty-five years....it is that powerful. A couple of anecdotes....a few years later I met a pastor at a Puritan book conference....(John MacArthur was one of the speakers)....I started to attend his church which was about forty-five minutes from our home....and we stayed there for over a decade until that pastor was no longer there. He is a friend to this day. He and his wife came over for dinner one evening....way back when...the first time they were at our home....and he had a gift....a leather bound copy of Valley Of Vision which is sitting here with me as I type. I reached and showed him the paperback that I already owned....and used every night. It was a sign that we were surely on the same page....so to speak. I have "September 2002"....and the pastor and his wife's name....written in the front of the book.
Another anecdote would be from our local newspaper....the day after Thanksgiving....(I can't remember the year).....and on the front page was an article....with an accompanying photo....of a family sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner....a very typical article for the holiday....and on the table as the father was cutting the turkey....was....Valley of Vision.
OK one more anecdote. A few years later we owned a Christian bookstore....and on a number of occasions when after a lengthy and good conversation with someone who needed to read about the sovereignty of God as proclaimed in Reformed Theology....but for whatever reason....maybe it was money....they did not buy a book....I would just give them a book....and on this certain day I gave a man a copy of Valley Of Vision. He was just passing through....on his way to Michigan I believe....to seminary. I forgot about it but months later....maybe a year....I checked my answering machine at the store....and it was him. He just wanted to thank me because that book of prayers led to a complete change in his theology.
All that for this....I was saying a prayer from the book before supper tonight....Pizza....delivered....extra cheese and pepperoni and green peppers....is that important? My habit is just to randomly open the book and read the prayer on the page that I opened it up to.....and I did that tonight....and half way through the prayer I came to this passage....(it was not new to me.....after over two decades I read every prayer a number of times)....but every time I come to this it effects me....
"May I say to all I meet,
I am journeying towards the Lord's given place,
come with me for your good."
Essentially that is the only reason for these posts of fourteen plus years....to say to the reader.....
"I am journeying towards the Lord's given place,
come with me for your good!"
