All Suffering Is for a “Little While”

November 13, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH All Suffering Is for a "Little While" SCOTTY SMITH   “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Pet. 5:10); “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us.” (Rom. 8:18) Heavenly Father, thank you for the weariness-validating, heart-encouraging voice of the Scriptures. We begin this Saturday with various light and not-so-light experiences of suffering. To suffer is to be human; but to suffer well is to be yours. The Day of no more “death, mourning, crying, or pain” is coming (Rev. 21:4), and we are most grateful. Until then, teach us how to “ache to your glory.” Our default mode is self-pity. We want it to become Christ-esteem. In the “bigger scheme”, as Peter said, all suffering is just for a “little while.” When life hurts the most, remind us you are the “God of all grace”—the one who has called us to “eternal glory”—not mere temporal relief. You will, indeed, “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us, at just the right time. Make your promises just as real as our pain, your daily mercies most comforting in our fleeting misery, and your healing presence more defining than our various heart-hurts. Like Paul, help us believe “the glory that will be revealed in us” at Jesus’ return, will make the sufferings of this life seem “light and momentary” (2 Cor. 4:17). May we steward our challenges as a calling, that our empathy and compassion for others might grow. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ faithful 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

The Always More-Ness of God’s Grace

November 12, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH The Always More-Ness of God's Grace SCOTTY SMITH “There is no more disgrace for you.” (Isa. 54:4); “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.” (John 1:16) Lord Jesus, it just seems too good to be true, too lofty to be ours, too outside the box we call “life.” We’re no longer subject to disgrace, faux-grace, non-grace, anti-grace. There’s just grace—heaven’s riches freely given to us at the price of your costly love. Our first birth was an expression of God’s grace, for we are wondrously made in his image. But our second birth inaugurated the never-ending beginning of living out of the fullness of your grace—grace upon grace upon more grace. Lest we forget… The grace of belonging to you, Jesus—redeemed, reconciled, and righteous in you—kept by you, and for you. What more could we want? But there is The grace of being God’s adopted, beloved children—no longer spiritual orphans or slaves to fear, now in a perpetual state of his favor and delight. The grace of being sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who is constantly telling us we are Abba’s children, destined for the Day we will be like you. The grace of no fear of dying and true citizenship in heaven; and at your return, co-heirship with you of all things. Though the devil accuses us, others deride us, and our own thoughts indict us, you declare us to be yours, Jesus—known, loved, desired, and enjoyed. So very Amen we pray, in your 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

Offspring Hope and the Aroma of Grace

November 11, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Offspring Hope and the Aroma of Grace SCOTTY SMITH “All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.” Isa. 54:13; “I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.” Isa. 44:3 Heavenly Father, thank you for the stunning hope these passages give us about our “offspring.” Continue to expose and free us from the faith-less, grace-less, law-heavy ways we parent (and grand-parent). Free us from over-stressing about our kids, and under-believing your promises. To parent is to trust in your covenant faithfulness, not sign up for a pass/fail class in life. Forgive us for being more anxious than loving—more likely to scorecard and correct, than pray and trust. Only your Spirit can make the Gospel beautiful and believable to anyone—including our children. Saul of Tarsus fell under the weight of your grace, and became Paul the apostle. We have no need for apostolic children. We simply want our kids to know and love you. How arrogant to assume our “good parenting” accounts for the best in our children. And what a pernicious lie to believe our imperfect parenting is the sole reason for our kids’ poorest choices in life. Since our kids are your inheritance, Father, teach us how to care for them as humble stewards, not as anxious owners—as hopeful encouragers, not as self-appointed sheriffs. Shaming never wins, but you tell us, “love never fails.” Father however you choose, may our kids (and grands) smell your grace, not our disappointment, when they are with us. Grant us quick repentances when we fail them. Keep teaching us how to love them “in line with the truth of the gospel” (Gal. 2:14). So very Amen we pray in Jesus’ faithful 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

True Greatness Is “Lording Under”

November 10, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH True Greatness Is "Lording Under" SCOTTY SMITH   “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Matt. 20:25-26 Lord Jesus, it seems like you’re describing a destructive domino dynamic of power is this passage. Gentile rulers “lord over” those under them, and those same rulers have high officials “lording over” them. The controlled tend to look for someone else to control. Those living under threat threaten others. Those with angry boss’s boss others around. The shamed shame. “Not so with you,” you said to your disciples. True greatness, according to you, is “lording under.” Leaders getting low, very low. To use a scepter to control people only requires sitting down on a throne. To use a towel to wash feet requires getting all the way down on our knees. Lord Jesus, you created the entire universe (Col. 1:16; John 1:3). You sustain all things by the power of your word (Heb. 1:3) You are the ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5). You are currenting making all things new (Rev. 21:5). One Day, all things will be summed up in you (Eph. 1:10). Yet, so gloriously yet, you took the lowest place imaginable. You didn’t just stoop to wash our feet, but to wash our hearts. Your cross is quintessential greatness, revolutionary leadership—our only hope, and the surety of our salvation. As the Lord over all things, you are the Lord who got under the weight of our sin, taking the judgment we deserve. Humbled and grateful, we go with into our marriages, parenting, vocations, boardrooms, friending, and neighboring, as servants. So very Amen.       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

It Really Is True and So Good

November 9, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH It Really Is True and So Good SCOTTY SMITH “My salvation comes from the LORD alone.” Jonah 2:9 Heavenly Father, Jonah expressed his gratitude of the grace-gift of his salvation while he was still in the mercy-chamber of a large fish. As your daughters and sons, we join his praise from a wide variety of other contexts. Some of us are new believers—still damp with the morning dew of new life in Jesus. Some of us are decades-old in Christ—having logged stories of loss and laughter, mercy and mystery, hardships and heart-joys. All of which have made the Gospel necessary and gloriously precious. Some of us are nearing the end of life as we know it, and we eagerly anticipate the fullness of life you have promised. Some of us are “smack-dab” in the middle of a very hard season—maybe the hardest ever. But as your beloved children, each of us wants to declare the one thing we are most certain of—the one reality that transcends our windfalls and wipeouts. “My salvation comes from the LORD alone.” Truly, our salvation is a work we didn’t begin, and you alone can finish. We never could have performed our way out of our sin, or earned our way into your love. From beginning to end, our salvation is all of grace, declaring your glory and securing our blessing. Hallelujah, and thank you, Father. You have given Jesus as our “righteousness, holiness, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). We lack nothing we need for eternity. We need nothing more today than you will give. You will complete your good work in us (Phil. 1:6). So very Amen, we pray in Jesus’ most wonder-full 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

When We Do the Math

November 8, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH When We Do the Math SCOTTY SMITH   “Who do I have in heaven but you? And compared to you, earth has nothing I desire. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26 Heavenly Father, it’s a November Monday, and we want this whole week to be shaped by the perspective of heaven and financed with the riches of your grace. Like Asaph (who wrote this Psalm), when we “do the math” nothing and no one compares to you. As the Giver you are the Gift—the quintessential treasure who puts the proper value on everything else. Father, give us more satisfaction in yourself than in any other story, situation, or relationship we would choose for ourselves. Thank you for giving us many gifts to enjoy, but we want you to be the most gratifying feast of hearts—our portion, passion, and inheritance. By your Holy Spirit, make it so. Make it more true and real to us than ever before. Forgive our ingratitude and envy, our fears and lack of trust. Free us from every expression of entitlement and demandingness. Heal our Gospel-amnesia. We easily forget we are your children of delight—those you’ve hidden in Christ, sealed for eternity, and rejoice over with singing. Free us to live this week with hearts of gratitude, a core of peace, and hands of servanthood. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ exalted and glorious 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