Reading John Owen at bedtime

In the past several months, I have found reading John Owen at bedtime to be tremendously rewarding. You may be thinking that Owen is the cure for insomnia, as he is widely charged with being a challenging writer, but I have found him eminently helpful in humbling me, setting my eyes on Christ, and teaching me to be a better parent. In fact, his treatment of our condition and Christ's sufficiency is so rich that I have wondered that some scholar hasn't applied his insights to parenting - for the benefit of all.

Here are a couple of recent bedtime nuggets:

This is the trial and touchstone of gospel light: If it keeps the heart sensible of sin, humble, lowly, and broken on that account - if it teaches us to water free pardon with tears, to detest forgiven sin, to watch diligently for the ruin which we are yet assured shall never ruin us - it is divine, from above, of the Spirit of grace. If it secretly and insensibly makes men loose and slight in their thoughts about sin, it is adulterate, selfish, false (Overcoming Sin and Temptation pp301-302)

Labor, therefore, to fill your hearts with the cross of Christ. . . . Fill your affections with the cross of Christ, that there may be no room for sin (ibid. p332)

Owen is, in my opinion, one of the wisest counselors of the soul who has put pen to paper. I am deeply thankful for his cutting words, and penetrating insight.