This blog is called Borrowed Light due mainly to Robert Murray McCheyne’s response to reading Jonathan Edwards:
“How feeble my spark of Christianity appears beside such a sun! But even his was a borrowed light, and the same source is still open to enlighten me.”
The truth behind this quote struck me at the Pastor’s Conference. I look up to many of the men that spoke at this year’s Pastor’s Conference. I love the gospel centrality that consumes Matt Chandler. I love the joyous humility and love for Jesus that CJ Mahaney has. I love Dr. Moore’s wisdom and heart for gospel-driven adoption. I love Dr. Mohler’s wisdom and leadership. This is not to mention all of the amazing things about Danny Akin, Francis Chan, David Platt, Mark Dever, etc.
But I realized something as I sat listening to and admiring these men: what I love about them is Jesus in them. It would be ignorant and desperately falling short to admire and follow men in such a way that does not lead me to a deeper worship of Jesus. At the end of the day the only borrowed light that matters or lasts is that which comes from Jesus. May I love, admire, and respect my leaders, but do so in such a way that bends my heart to Jesus.
This is a great insight. In this weird evangelical celebrity culture, it’s so important to see Jesus in these men instead of seeing just their gifting and prominence which can lead to discontentment, envy, and idolatry. At least for me it tends to go that way.
Thanks for sharing this. It was a blessing to me.