From a pastor-friend:

One of the books I brought with me on this trip into the future is by one of my literary heroes, who also happens to be a Christian brother, thus one of our modern day heroes of the faith. Eugene Peterson is in his 80s. He has been a pastor and a professor…but is probably happiest when quiet, fishing in Montana.

He is the closest “thing” I know to an “evangelical mystic.” He is worth reading…any time. Any and all of his books put me in important places in my walk with our Triune God…as I both read and reread them…and read them again. He takes me to the Word…to the Father…to the Son (Who IS the Word alive)…to the Spirit. To journey with him through the pages of his writing takes me to better, often unsettling, necessary places than I’ve been in awhile.

The book I am refering to is “Subsersive Spirituality.” This tome is a compilation of many articles and interviews from across the span of years this man has been saying “yes” to God. The first three paragraphs of his introduction are as follows on page ix:

“The Christian life, in one of its main aspects, is a recovery of what was lost in the Fall. We happen upon, we notice, we reach out and touch things and ideas, people and events, and among these Holy Scriptures themselves, that were there all along but that our ego-swollen souls or our sin-blurred eyes quite simply overlooked–sometimes for years and years and years.”

“And then we do notice: we sight life, we realize God and hear his word, we grab the sleeve of a friend and demand, ‘Look! Listen!” More often than not our friend has been looking and listening all along and treats our sudden enthusiasm with courteous condescension.”

“In reading over these occasional and picked-up pieces, written over the past (30) years, I have the distinct feeling that they may be greeted in just that way, with courteous condescension. I remember Austin Farrer’s stricture against pretensions to originality, “There is nothing new to say on the subject, only the fashions of speech alter, and ancient argument is freshly phrased.”

“This gathering of articles and essays, poems and converstions, is a kind of kitchen midden of my noticings of the obvious in the course of living out the Christian life in the vocational contest of pastor, writer, and more recently, professor. The randomness and repetitions and false starts are rough edges that I am leaving as is in the interests of honesty. Spirituality is not, by and large, smooth. I do hope, however, that they will be found to be ‘freshly phrased.’ Later, some of these articles took on a life of their own and developed into books.”

Lucky us…that we can share in Dr. Peterson’s fresh phrases. Not only has he redone the Bible in fresh phrases, via what we can purchase as “The Message,” but again, I encourage you to add his works to your personal library. You will be richer of soul for that. If you already have all his books…read ’em again…and be blessed. Lucky you.

On page 111 of “Subversive Spirituality” Dr. Peterson writes in a footnote (…never pass these by…) concerning a poem he wrote titled “HOLY LUCK:”

“Originally published in Theology Today, April 1987. Editor’s note: The word “lucky” has had a bad odor among some people, Peterson, says, but the Wycliffe Bible referred to those faithful persons who had “holy luck,” which should be reflective of our response to God’s blessings. This was before the gamblers got hold of the word.”

As we, a few good men, stumble forward in our living with our loved ones, and other good friends, toward a day of national thanksgiving next week, I wanted to share with you Dr. Peterson’s poem, “Holy Luck.” He takes off from Jesus’ words in Matthew’s gospel, what we know as chapter five…and this is what He (Jesus) said (as requoted, freshly phrased in The Message)…

…you’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.

…you’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you.

…you’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are–no more, no less.

…you’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God.

…you’re blessed when you care.

…you’re blessed when you get your inside world–your mind and heart–put right.

…you’re blesed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.

…you’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution.

…not only that–count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me.

How are you going to be blessed…or a blessing today?