Eugene Peterson, a Presbyterian Pastor and the author of The Message – a popular paraphrase of the Bible, passed away this week at the age of 85. He is remembered for his desire to put the truths of the Bible in a language that the average person could readily understand.
He authored over 30 books, including the well-known, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction”.
Eugene believed that “the story of our faith, our very existence, begins and ends with joy… Joy at the beginning, joy at the end, joy everywhere in between. Joy is God’s creation and gift. No authentic biblical faith is conceivable that is not permeated with it.”
Eugene’s joy is now complete in this presence of His Saviour. He has finished his long obedience in the same direction.
Here are 6 profound passages from The Message that have challenged us to see the glory of God’s word in a fresh way.
1. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30
2. “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
Philippians 4:7
3. “God’s love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks.”
Psalm 36:5-6
4. “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.”
Matthew 5:14
5. “If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.”
Matthew 10:39
