Heart Softness

June 27, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Heart Softness SCOTTY SMITH I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezek. 36:2 Gracious Father, this promise of a new heart has never had more meaning to me. It’s not just the hard-hearted culture we’re presently immersed in. It’s my own reaction to that culture. It’s not just “them.” It’s me. As your children, you’ve already declared us forgiven and righteous in Jesus. Hallelujah. And you’ve already given us the promised “new heart,” when you raised us from death to new life in Jesus. But it’s a yet-to-be-perfected heart. Until you glorify us, our hearts will need constant renewal and more grace. The image of a heart of stone being replaced with a heart of flesh is no mere metaphor; it’s a Gospel miracle. Father, I want a kind heart, a tender heart, a sweet heart, a compassionate heart, a caring heart, a servant’s heart, a soft heart—the heart of Jesus. I long for the Day when my heart will beat only for Jesus’ glory, burn with his passion, and love with his affection. Like John the Baptist, I want Jesus to increase, and me to decrease—at least most days I do. I want to forgive from my heart, as you have forgiven me in Jesus. I want to see what you see in others—all others, not just those of different skin color, but those who will vote different from me in November. I want to live as an encourager—a builder-upper, an edifier… until the day you take me Home. For the only thing that counts, is faith expressing itself in love (Gal. 5:6). So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name. Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

God Will Never Cancel Us

June 26, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH God Will Never Cancel Us SCOTTY SMITH The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. Isa. 30:17 Heavenly Father, what a fabulous way to begin this Friday, and enter our weekend—hearing you say you long to be gracious to us. For the stressors of this season are stretching the resources of our hearts. Thank you for promising rest for the weary, not a pep-talk for slackers. We’re not facing Israel’s crisis, during Isaiah’s day—when you first spoke these comforting words. The Assyrian and Babylonian armies aren’t on the horizon. Our stressors include a virus that won’t go away, and a country that has lost its way; ever-changing work-scenarios in front of us, and relational-dynamics inside of us. Living in a “cancel-culture” is exhausting, Father. Old quotes and new mis-speaks get us shamed and “canceled.” Not towing the “party line,” or daring to offer a different view, get us labeled and rejected. Where’d all the meanness come from? We are a gazillion time grateful that you will never cancel us, Father. We are fully and eternally accepted in Jesus—known, loved, and secure. The only things you have canceled are the demands of the Law that stood against us, and the weight of our guilt that festered inside us. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We repent of listening to the squawking voices of human “parakeets,” more than the comforting voice of the blessed “Paraclete”—God the Holy Spirit. We repent of under-believing the Gospel, and over-indulging news feeds. We repent of making too much time for vexation, and not enough time for adoration. Father, as you rise to show us compassion, we sit down, shut up, get still and “let you” be gracious to us. Help us reestablish the rhythms of Gospel-shaped thinking and resting. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus lovely and loving name.     Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Wait Well

June 25, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Wait Well SCOTTY SMITH I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord. Psalm 130:5-6a      Lord Jesus, my 95-year-old spiritual Mom reminded me of this remarkable passage yesterday. It came like rain on my pity party, and a dart to the balloon of my self-absorption. To which I say, thank you Rose Marie; but 10,000 times more so, thank you Jesus. What am I waiting for? Simply for COVID-19 to go away, or freedom to go anywhere I want without wearing a mask, or the stock market to get back to where it was in early February? Or maybe for college football to actually happen this Fall, or for the upcoming presidential election to be done-and-over; or to be able to get on an airplane and go fish anywhere I want? Are these things all I’m waiting for? If so, what a pathetic waste of the waiting-mode. I’m far too easily satisfied. Indeed, in my most Gospel-sane moments, Jesus, I know it’s you I want, crave, long for more than anything else. Not “streets of gold,” or simply being out of the current mess(es) of life in this world. It’s you I wait for. I join my daily-prayer-posse-family in affirming: We put our hope in your word, Jesus. Our whole-being waits for you—not simply what you give, but everything you are. Jesus, grant us fresh, heart-palpitating, soul-satisfying intimacy with you in these coming weeks. But come back soon, for we want all of you, all the time, forever. So very Amen we pray, in your loving and most grace-filled name. Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Oh My Heart, Return to This Wonder

June 24, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Oh My Heart, Return to This Wonder SCOTTY SMITH For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. 1 Cor. 8:6 Gracious God, there’s no way one verse of Scripture could be more pregnant with glory and grace than this one. Wake us up to the magnificent of your being, and the glory of our salvation. So who are you? You’re not simply the only God, you’re the only one who loves us with filial affection, endless kindness, and inexhaustible grace. Everything comes from you—everything: our first heartbeat in our mom’s womb, and our last breath before you take us Home. There’s nothing we have we didn’t get from you (1 Cor. 4:7). Like the entire cosmos, by you we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:8). That we would live for anything or anyone but you, is quintessential crazy, certifiable narcissism, and arrogance on steroids. Lord Jesus, truly, there’s no other Savior but you. You are our righteous, holiness, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30). By you, all things have been made, and nothing exists apart from you (John 1:3). You sustain all things by the power of your word (Heb. 1:3), and will restore all things by the glory of your return (Rev. 21:1-5). You rule every king, and will wipe all of our tears. Hallelujah! And Holy Spirit, it’s only by your life-giving, resurrection-providing power that we know these things to be true. Though you are the most silent member of the Godhead, you are so very present and active. Blessed Triune God, we praise, bless, and adore you. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ bodacious and beautiful name. Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Never to Be Canceled

June 23, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Never to Be Canceled SCOTTY SMITH After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Rev. 7:9–10 Heavenly Father, as you know, between early May and mid-August, Darlene and I were to be in Northern Ireland, Spain, Montana, Alaska, and Canada. We were so looking forward to being in many special places with so many beloved people. But as we plan, so you order our steps—even using global pandemics to accomplish your eternal decrees and sovereign plans. That’s why we need not fear your canceling the one “trip,” gathering, and destination that will make all other trips seem like a stroll to the 7-Eleven, for a Diet Coke and pack of peanuts. Oh, for the great Day and destination John writes about in these two verses. Women and men, from “every nation, tribe, people, and language” will be wearing the robes of grace-secured salvation; waving palm branches of consummate peace and joy; shouting and singing in perfect harmony to you—our Triune God, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:10). Places familiar in this world will be restored and glorified. Our forever-family will come from every race that has ever sucked in your gift of breath. We will, only and forever, love each other perfectly. But most wonderful of all, we will know and worship you—with whole hearts, resurrected bodies, in the new heaven and new earth. Make it soon, Father, please. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ great and gracious name.   Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

One Good Spirit-Downpour

June 22, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH One Good Spirit-Downpour SCOTTY SMITH Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Ps. 85:6–7 Lord Jesus, it’s amazing what even one really good downpour can move our sunbaked yards from parched brown to lavish green. I can run my sprinkler endlessly, but there’s just something about the water that falls from the sky that brings restoration and renewal like no other aquatic supply. Our hearts are no different. When we grow brown, dry, and crispy on the inside—when our delighting in you morphs into coolness towards you (and others), we need what only you can give us, Jesus. There’s no hose, fire hydrant, or reservoir of our own making that can renew our hearts. So we cry out with the Psalmist, “Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, grant us your salvation.” It was your unfailing love that first brought life to our deadness, and turned our mourning into dancing. Likewise, it’s your unfailing, unwavering, unparalleled love that will “green” our hearts. You have promised to “satisfy our needs in a sun-scorched land” and “strengthen our frame.” You have promised that we will be “like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail” (Isa. 58:11). You have invited the thirsty to come and drink freely of living water—Spirit-water (John 7:37-39). Thank you, Jesus. We boldly come before you this June Monday, praying what you pray for us—the fullness of your joy (John 17:13). You suffered the ultimate thirst of the cross, so we’ll never thirst again. Renew in us the joy of our salvation, the gladness of grace, the merriment of mercy. So very Amen we pray, in your loving and powerful name.   Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe