Gospel Wakefulness

Recently I have been reading a book entitled “Gospel Wakefulness” by Jared Wilson. It is a book that for me is touching many emotions and reminding me how amazing the Love of Christ is.

In this broken world it is sometimes hard to experience the joy that should result when we recognize the love and grace of God. However, there are moments when joy and happiness just well up; moments when I just “feel” it. I think that this is the beginning of the Gospel Wakefulness that Jared is talking about.

Jared’s “nutshell” definition of Gospel Wakefulness is “gospel wakefulness means treasuring Christ more greatly and savoring His power more sweetly.” He calls this taking a spiritual quantum leap.

For me to take this leap I had to recognize my own desperation; which is tough for any of us to do. Yet this is so essential. John Stott in his book “The Cross of Christ” says; “We can cry ‘Hallelujah’ with authenticity only after we have first cried ‘Woe is me, for I am lost’”.

Psalm 40 reminds us;

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

Father, may we all admit our slimy pit, our desperation and come to treasure the mighty and saving arms of Christ!

Grace and Peace!

Healing

Have you ever had one of those weeks? A week where the stress is next to unbearable, where everything seems as if it is against you, where hope seems so distant? I think we all have to one degree or another. There is so much going on in this world that it is only natural to feel this way.

As I find myself in these periods of gloom, it is amazing what scripture will come before me. Recently, I was reading in the book of Malachi – a book where we are reminded of great failure, but also of great promise. As I was reading and worrying I came across Malachi 4:2:

“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.”

Suddenly, I was so encouraged. This verse reminds us that there is a rising sun (Son) that will heal all things. And that word heal; in Hebrew is marpa, and it means to heal but also so much more. It means to cure, to profit and make sound of mind and it also has this sense of refreshing the mind and body. Wow!

As I read and prayed, my focus became not so much the muck and the mire, but the rising sun (Son). And for a moment at least I felt so free like a calve leaping from the stall…

Gordon Hegenberger says of this verse; “Just as the sun drives away darkness and clouds, bringing light and joy, so the sun of righteousness will appear to dispel gloom, oppression, and injustice.”

So as we find ourselves in those times of stress and gloom, let us look to the rising sun (Son), let us rest in the healing wings, and as calves leaping from the stall let us shout with joy!

Grace and Peace!

Increasingly Centered

Isaiah 64:8

Yet you, LORD, are our Father. 
We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Recently a friend and I were talking; sharing what is going on in our lives. We were both kind of overwhelmed with “work”, there were also some additional trials, just the stuff of life and we began to wonder what lessons we might learn when the grind of life seems to be getting to us.

Pastor Tullian Tchividjian in his new book “Jesus + Nothing = Everything” talks of going through such a rough patch and what he came to see. Tullian says; "I learned much more of what it means for us to be God-centered, gospel-drenched people. I learned just how enslaved I was to lesser things and how Jesus had come to set me free. I saw with clearer eyes that because I'm a sinner - because we are all sinners - God has to do a lot of chiseling and cutting and sanding in your life and mine as he increasingly centers our hearts more tightly on Himself and the gospel"

Father, I cry out we are clay and you are the potter; Lord, I pray for increasingly centered hearts! Amen

Grace and Peace!