Below is a brilliant and insightful talk by Harold Best, delivered for the Wheaton College Artist Series (September 12, 2015).
I want to tell two stories, the “my-life” part first and the “our-living” part last. The first, I promise you, will in no way comprise a solemn reading of I-knew-whom-studied-with-composed-for-performed-at-drew-applause-from-narrative, because there isn’t that much. I just want to weave in and out of a few things of earlier years in order to get to the harps out and riddles part: those strong, puzzling, paradoxical, truth-informed matters of which pressing on is the essence. And if you take anything away from this evening, forget the Harold Best part except to understand that God truly and graciously has worked on this flawed, oddly limited, and spottily trained life; that He keeps keeping my head and heart turned toward the Cross-emptied Tomb to which the Son of God addressed Himself from the eternities, and from which He, the Very Word of God was raised—who reigns, above, beyond and with us; everlasting, immutably truthful and a treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge. Too high and wonderful? Yes. Do we back off? No. We Press on.
The first part is engaging, and the second part—“a propositionally-laced, time-warped creation parable—in which the riddles that keep me refreshed and baffled are stated, I pray, in a truth-full way”—is worth the entire investment to watch the whole thing.
