Heart-Ache, Blessings-Flow, Clapping-Trees

December 4, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Heart-Ache, Blessings-Flow, Clapping-Trees SCOTTY SMITH   “You shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Isa 55:12 Lord Jesus, from the stable of your birth, through the sufferings on your cross, to the sky by your ascension, you’ve proven yourself to be the resounding “Yes!” to every promise God has made. Hallelujah, thank you, and Oh, how we ache. Not like a tooth-ache, or tummy-ache—we heart-ache for the fullness and forever of Isaiah’s vision. Jesus, we are so ready for singing mountains and clapping trees—the eternal Day of peace and joy, in us and all around us. The certainty of our future makes life between your two comings good and hard. Good, because it’s true; hard, because we want it now. Until then, you are ruling the universe with a heart of mercy, from a throne of grace. Eternal discretion—not evil machinations or human manipulation, is “running the show.” Because of your unrivaled sovereignty and great love for us, we can live with hope, engagement, and patience. Because of your gentleness and kindness, we can risk loving those around us (even the “snarky “ones). And we can be those though whom your “blessings flow, far as the curse is found.” Here’s to a life of heart-ache, blessings-flow, and clapping-trees. So very Amen we pray, Jesus, in your glorious and grace-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

The Every-Season “Christmas Carol”

December 3, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH The Every-Season "Christmas Carol" SCOTTY SMITH   “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14); “Out of his fullness we have all received grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Lord Jesus, it wasn’t the “Advent Police” who relegated Isaac Watt’s great hymn to the only-sing-at-Christmas list. But whenever and however “Joy to the World” got the label “Christmas Carol,” we should ignore the label and love it, sing it, meditate upon it, linger in it, and live it year-round. You have come and you are coming again, and life between your comings should look, smell, and feel exactly like this:   “Joy to the world! the Lord is come; let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing…” Jesus, we love the “is-ness” of your coming. You are here in reality, if not in fullness. Both our hearts and the earth are the domain of your reign of grace and truth. “Joy to the world! the Savior reigns; let men their songs employ. while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy…” One Day the entire earth will be filled with your presence and glory. Our joy will be greater then, but no more certain than it is right now. How can we keep from singing? “No longer let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found…” O for the Day of sinless, sorrow-free everyone and everything! But until then, you are “flowing” your blessings everywhere sin did its worse. Thank you for perpetually giving us “grace upon grace” until the Day of “all things new.” “He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love…” Hallelujah Jesus, you are already King of kings and Lord of lords. By the “wonders of your love” we have been clothed us in the “glories of your righteousness”—making us your beloved Bride, and the nations your eternal inheritance. Hallelujah, and 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

O Holy Forever

December 2, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH O Holy Forever SCOTTY SMITH “In this hope we were saved” Rom 8:24 Dear Father, 2021 continues to underscore the brokenness in our world and magnify the restlessness in our hearts—a pretty consistent picture of the world into which Jesus was born. “Long lay the world In sin and error pining, ‘Till He appeared, and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices…” (from O Holy Night) Father, because you sent Jesus into the world, we have freedom to acknowledge our weariness, sin, errors, pining. There’s no shame in owning our “mess,” just tons of grace can be found there. For “In all our trials (Jesus was) born to be our Friend. He knows our need— to our weakness is no stranger.” (O Holy Night) Because Mary was pregnant with Everything we truly need, we now have a genuine sense of worth, hope and joy. For in Jesus, we are fully known, declared righteous, and shockingly loved. But our hope isn’t just for ourselves, but also for the entire world as well. Everywhere sin does its worse, Jesus does his best. “Chains shall He (Jesus) break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease” (O Holy Night). Every expression of evil, darkness, anti-grace, mean, and hate has an expiration date. Hallelujah! Father, until you send Jesus back, and we get to sing, “O Holy Forever,” we know what we are to be about. For “He (Jesus) taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace.” Until the glorious 2nd Advent, “Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we; Let all within us praise His holy name.”  So Very Amen, we pray. 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

Our Ache, Wait, and New Song

December 1, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Our Ache, Wait, and New Song SCOTTY SMITH “The wolf will live with the lamb; the leopard will lie down with the goat … They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isa. 11:6–9  “They sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy…’” Rev. 5:9 “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will God rejoice over you.” Isa 62:5   Lord Jesus, more so than ever, we crave the world Isaiah describes in this passage. The Day when carnivores become herbivores, and the entire new earth will be a like a giant petting zoo. Wolves, lambs, leopards and goats strolling, playing, napping together. Much more so, Jesus, we crave the Day when we, ourselves, will never hurt each other again. Political parties will be replaced with Gospel-parties. No human will be used or sold, only celebrated and cherished. Spite, fight, and flight will be replaced with intimate, kind, caring relationships. No more harsh conversations, painful goodbyes, or even awkward moments. We will finally and fully love one another as you love us, Jesus. The “new song” we already sing as your grace-bought Bride will be the forever-song filling the new heaven and new earth. No more harming or destroying, anywhere by anyone… Jesus, you are worthy. You have saved us, you do delight in us, and rejoice over us forever. We ache, we wait, we sing… “Soon, Jesus—very soon, come to us, come for us.” So Very Amen we pray.   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

Jesus Our Immanuel

November 30, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Jesus Our Immanuel SCOTTY SMITH   “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isa. 7:11–14   Heavenly Father, what an extravagantly patient, faithful, and generous God you are. Advent underscores your irrepressible, limitless, transforming grace. Your promise to send “Immanuel” was given in the context of King Ahaz’s arrogance, stubbornness, and refusal to trust you. Though he was the current King of Israel, he lived more like the “archbishop” of unbelief, self-interest, and self-trust. Alas, we lament how much we can be like King Ahaz. We love you, Father, but when life is hard, stress is up, and you “run late,” we get impatient. Our fears, unbelief, and “resourcefulness” take over—which never ends well. Father, we grieve our little faith and lack of trust. Thus, our own weakness makes the promise of “Immanuel” precious to us. In full view of our worse, you gave your best—your beloved Son. By sending Jesus to be our “Immanuel,” you’ve proven yourself to be the God who isn’t only with us, but the God who is so very much for us. Indeed, Jesus is the “Yes!” to every promise you have made to save us, and make all things new (2 Cor. 1:20). During Advent, as we sing, and cry out, “O Come O Come Immanuel,” our peace comes from knowing is Jesus fulfills every name, title, and promise in this great hymn. Jesus is our “Wisdom from on High, the Lord of Might, the Branch of Jesse’s Stem, the Key of David, the Bright and Morning Star, King of Nations and King of Peace.” So Very Amen, and Lord Jesus, come quickly. Your Bride awaits you. 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 Joy of My Longing Heart

November 29, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH The Joy of My Longing Heart SCOTTY SMITH “We wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own.” Titus 2:13-14 Lord Jesus, as I drink in these encouragement-giving words from the Apostle Paul, at least 15 different recordings of my favorite Advent hymn have been washing over me. “Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free. From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art—Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.” (Charles Wesley) I join friends, resting in the good news of your first coming, but restless, ready, reaching for your second. Truly, Jesus, you are the only hope of all the earth, and one Day your glory will fill the entire earth as the waters cover the sea. “How long, Oh Lord?” Though they don’t realize it, you are the Desire of every nation; and from every nation you are redeeming a Bride for yourself. In our most Gospel-sane moments, we know you, and only you, Jesus, are the Joy of our longing, vulnerable, triggerable, temptable hearts. No lover, currency, acclaim, accomplishment… nothing and no one but you are the Joy our heart craves. “By Thine all sufficient merit (for we have none of our own), raise us to Thy glorious throne.” Until that Day, “rule in our hearts alone,” Jesus. 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