A Few Books--Lighthouses of the Spirit

A few books--among the many tomes I've read over the years--have been lighthouses to me by which the Spirit of God has guided me past the Scyllas and Charybdis's of this
temptuous, troubled life. When I have failed, such books have helped rescue from the raging sea and helped in my recovery.

In the next few weeks, I'll take time to reflect on some of these shining lights.I suppose it goes without saying that the Bible is the foundation, though I, extremely, feel the need to caution all readers that Scripture is Light if interpreted by the Spirit, using good reasoning that God has given us. Tragically the Bible has been sincerely wrongly applied resulting in horrors by many in history including the Catholic Church and the Reformers. For instance, Martin Luther spewed forth his hate and invective against the Jews, calling on his readers to destroy synagogues, etc., and for hundreds of years millions of people followed such advice until finally one generation carried the misinterpretations of Scripture to their demonic conclusion.

I hope it is very clear to the reader that I am NOT a literalist, nor when I recommend a book do I necessarily susbribe to how others have interpreted its words. For that matter some of the books which have been lighthouses to me, are also seriously flawed and cracked in their lenses. I have been helped despite their errors.

Second on the list, after the Bible, would have to be--I have no idea:-) I won't try and do a descending top ten, but cast out the winners like bread upon the waters.

The Eternal Promise (and A Testament of Devotion) by Thomas Kelly;

The Journal of George Fox and The Journal of John Woolman;

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonnehoffer;

Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton;

Clowning in Rome by Henri Nouwen;

Slavery, Sabbath, War and Women by Willard M. Swartley;

The Nature and Destiny of Man by Reinhold Niebuhr;

On Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau;

Dynamics of Faith by Paul Tillich...

These books reached me when I was adrift., drowning in American Christianity's arid doctrinal disputes while my own personal life was barren, and I was bereft from seeing so much evil done in the name of Christ. These books were Living Water in my life when all else was empty--only broken cisterns, poisonous wells, mirages of deception...

More recently,another popular book has also spoken deeply to me (despite some of its serious theological errors and overstatements). Inspite of those warts, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren is a lightchanger! The book is so practically focused and inspiring, emphasizing daily deeds not obstuse creeds. It is written in popular basic prose so that anyone, not just theological pundits, can read a page and then apply it 'right here, right now.'

I often re-read parts of it when I get discouraged or am caught in the morass of some temptation or wrong action or faced with daunting cicumstances.

Read on dear Friends:-)