R.C. Sproul: The Soul's Quest for God. Reflections on satisfying the soul's hunger.

Over the weekend, I've been reading The Soul's Quest for God by R.C. Sproul, a respected evangelical theologian. The book's subtitle summarizes the subject of the 11 chapters: satisfying the hunger for spiritual communion with God.

Sproul writes:

"Something is missing . . . What is missing is a depth of spiritual communion with God . . . The Christian life is often marked more by a sense of the absence of God than a vital sense of His presence."

Here, Sproul examines the biblical pattern for spiritual growth, looks at biblical models of spiritual maturity, explores the nature of the soul, its value, and how it's nurtured, considers barriers to the soul's quest, and explains the soul's ultimate destination.

I've particularly enjoyed the chapters where he discusses the examples of Mary, Joseph, St. Augustine, Jonathan Edwards, and John Calvin. Looking at their lives refreshes the soul.

Here's my favorite paragraph where Sproul writes about the implications of 1 Corinthians 2:15-16.

Herein lies the greatest possible aid to sanctification—to have the mind of Christ. To have Christ's mind is to think like Christ, to see things from his perspective, to love what Christ loves, and to hate what Christ hates, and to be united to his system of values.

Is the goal of Christian living to be Christlike? If so, we will reach that goal only to the degree that we possess the mind of Christ.

I think I should start the habit of reading at least one Christian book every two weeks. There are many titles I can borrow from the church library. Besides, what can be a better way to spend long weekends than to spend them knowing more about the Lord?