restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations

                

To Blog Or Not To Blog?

 David Alan Black 

The Bible does not talk about blogging. Directly, that it. Our Father would be pleased that all of His children serve Him to the best of their God-given talents. Caleb asked for a mountain, Jabez for an enlargement of his coastline. I do not believe that the Lord meant for us to pray Jabez’s prayer regularly (or even at all), but I do believe that most of us live in cramped and narrow borders. Perhaps we need to push out our coastlines a bit, to enter the rest that remains for the people of God (“rest” in the sense of purposeful duty as those co-yoked with Christ).

Contrary to popular notions today, blogging is not easy. The fact is, it is much easier to begin blogging than to continue it. As in Malachi 3:16, I fear that many blogs are merely public eavesdropping, and God hears them. That ought to put a divine seal on our lips when we would speak unadvisedly. But at the same time it ought, perhaps, to make us more vocal in the things of the Lord, provided of course that out of the abundance of a Spirit-filled heart the mouth speaketh.

It must have been an odd sight, that first blog. I suppose mine must have been about the thirty-billionth to invade the blogosphere. Alas, man has fared badly with many of these cybernetic intrusions. In my judgment, a good blog is one that combines solid, substantial satisfaction of the mind and soul with gladness and rejoicing – even a bit of frivolity at times. It must also have a logos – a message, as the ancient Greek rhetoricians would say. I suppose the message of my blog is that our manmade Babylons are in shambles, and that includes our “evangelical” Babylons. Thankfully, because the Lord loves us He rebukes and chastens us.

The blogs I enjoy reading the most are those that have – to use the language of the old-time preacher – “unction.” Without the anointing and enabling of the Holy Spirit the blogger may strive and sweat, but all to no avail. Earnestness is no substitute for truth, and just because someone enjoys scintillating oration does not mean that God is in it.

So why should one blog? Some of us have been on life’s road for quite a long time now, and sometimes we wonder how it will be with us the rest of the way. Do we still have a contribution to make? I may no longer be able to mount up with wings as eagles, but I can still run and not grow weary and walk and not faint. There are some things that experience has taught me, and I share them with my readers in the hopes that they, too, might find encouragement for the journey.

I have often wondered why more of my friends and associates do not blog. Many of them have so much to share. I do not mean every little headache, every petty vexation, every little grievance or pet peeve. Everyone has those. But we whose hearts are fixed on God have an open door as never before to address both a timid church and a tortured world. Bedford prison could not lock up John Bunyan’s pen, nor could Fanny Cosby’s blindness her hymns. In the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

Something remains for us to do or dare,

Even the oldest trees some fruit may bear.

For Age is opportunity no less

Than Youth itself though in another dress.

And as the evening twilight fades away

The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.

One sure sign of revival is that it sets people testifying. God is not only their salvation, He is their song. When He puts a new song in our hearts, why should the singers be silent?

August 30, 2005

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com. If you would like to know more about becoming a follower of King Jesus, please feel free to write Dave.

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