Are We “Being Spent or Investing Ourselves?

October 29, 2022 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Are We "Being Spent or Investing Ourselves? SCOTTY SMITH “You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail” (Isa. 58:11).     Lord Jesus, what an alluring image and compelling hope. It is your design and delight for us, your beloved, to be both refreshed and the refreshers—to offer beauty, hope, and nourishment wherever you “plant” us. A garden-of-grace people emitting the aroma of your love, the welcome of your mercy, and the firstfruits of the garden-world to come. Indeed, the Garden of Eden is in our past, but the garden-world of the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1-5) is our secured future and our present craving. How then shall we live and love towards the Day when you return to fill the earth with your truth, goodness, and beauty (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14)? Hallelujah, we don’t have to guess. Knowing you and serving you in this world is so much more than a giant hymn sing, one more inspiring conference, and gaining more Biblical knowledge. We are to…  “Loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke… set the oppressed free and break every yoke… share your food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter… (Isa. 58:6-7). “Spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed…” (Isa. 58:10). Jesus, for the rest of our days in the world, we’ll either (1) be spent pursuing trifles, trivialities, and “trophies.” Or (2) we’ll spend ourselves on things that won’t last, matter little, and are more about us. Or (3) we will invest ourselves in living out the implications of the Gospel, offering the firstfruits of your kingdom on earth, and serving the least and lost in our midst. We choose (3)… what an honor and privilege… So Very Amen.   Wish you had a 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 His Sovereignty Hides Abba’s Grace-Fullness

October 28, 2022 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH When His Sovereignty Hides Abba's Grace-Fullness SCOTTY SMITH   “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Ps. 115:3). “Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish” (Isa. 46:9-10).   Heavenly Father, your sovereignty is a mystery to us—generating hands raised in adoration, hands grasping for control, and hands wringing with vulnerability. When we finally believed our salvation is all by grace—from beginning to end, even we non-dancers danced the dance of joy (at least metaphorically!). What a relief it is to know Jesus is our perfect righteousness, not our self-salvation coach. However, things get a little emotionally “dicey” when your absolute sovereignty collides with our chronic pain, selfless longings for others, and prayers we assume should easily generate a “But of course, Yes!” from you. So here we are again Father, not asking you to change, but trusting you for more grace—supernatural grace to feel your peace when we don’t see your hand. Super-abundant grace to affirm you are a good, good Father, even when your ways contradict our preferences, timetable, and sensibilities. Sufficient grace to boast in our weaknesses, and not just bemoan them. (2 Cor. 12:9). You do whatever pleases you, Father, and we are so grateful it over-pleased you to give Jesus to us, and for us. You aren’t wistful; you only “wish” what will actually happen. Ultimately, whatever pleases you, and everything you “wish,” will totally enthrall, hyper-gladden, and over-please us. By your Holy Spirit bring a bit of our perfect future into the messy present. Lastly, Father, help us help each other in this journey of wrestling with and resting in your Fatherly sovereignty. So Very Amen, we pray. Wish you had a 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

For Those Who Hate the Waiting of Not Knowing

October 27, 2022 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH For Those Who Hate the Waiting of Not Knowing SCOTTY SMITH “I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits…” (Psalm 130:5)   Lord Jesus, if getting into heaven could be earned by being an excellent, non-anxious “wait-er,” I’d have to find another way, for I hate waiting. Thankfully, salvation can’t be achieved, only received; for eternal life is a free gift. Why do I hate waiting? For one thing, I’m impatient, and like to get “in and out.” I like short lines anywhere I go, and I’ll even move from line to line at Publix or Costco, if I sense it might save me 2 or 3 minutes. But today I own that I’m fearful, and I offer this prayer on behalf of others who hate the waiting of not knowing: Not knowing what the lab tests are going to say, what the scan is going to reveal, what the MRI is going to confirm. Several people I love are in the waiting place, space, and race of needing to know, wanting to know, and yet, perhaps, dreading what knowing might mean. So, Jesus, thankfully, gladly, trustingly… we wait for you—the LORD of tendons and tissue, bones and brokenness, cells and the “c”-word, disks and spines, dark spots and deep longings. In fact, there’s nothing you aren’t sovereign over, the Lord of, or behind-the-scenes ordering according to the perfection of your will. We know, Jesus, in eternity we will loudly, joyfully proclaim, “Our God has done all things well!” But in this vulnerable moment, we look to you for grace, peace… for yourself. It is you we trust and hope in, not outcomes. So Very Amen, we proclaim and pray. Wish you had a 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

A Pity-Party Is Not a Party

October 26, 2022 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH A Pity-Party Is Not a Party SCOTTY SMITH “Son (daughter), you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.” Luke 15:31   Heavenly Father, we can’t hear you say these life-transforming words too clearly, too often, and too loudly. First spoken to a pouty, self-righteous, ungrateful son (in Luke 15:11-32), you continue to beckon each of your children back onto the dancefloor of your mercy, grace, and love. Not only do we also suffer from Gospel-amnesia, we too drift, fall, or jump into patterns of loving poorly. Irritation with others gains more heart space than fellowshipping with you. Rather than enjoying the grace-parties you throw for all your children, we throw a pity-party for one, only inviting ourselves. Thus, in the Gospel, you are always wooing us saying, “My daughters and sons, you (all of you) are always with me because I’m always with you. Nothing will separate you from my love, exhaust my grace, or deplete my mercies. All that is mine is yours. Your sins are forgiven, your life is hidden in Jesus, and his righteousness yours. It’s official—you are citizens of heaven and co-heirs of the new heaven and new earth. Your sorrows, wounds, and brokenness all have an expiration date. I have you in my heart and no one can take you from my hand. Come, my children, let us—all of us, rejoice and be glad.” Father, we are secure, enriched, and beloved beyond all measure and imagining. Make this unavoidably, palpably to us again. We are ready to dance, and to love others as you love us in Jesus. So Very Amen we pray.   Wish you had a 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

Worship Expressing Itself in Trust

October 25, 2022 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Worship Expressing Itself in Trust SCOTTY SMITH   “The Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s.” (1 Sam. 17:47) This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.’” (2 Chron. 20:15)   Lord Jesus, thank you winning the most important and intense conflict we will ever experience. By your life, death, resurrection, you ended the war between us and God. Our white flag of surrender has been replaced with your banner of love flying over us (Song of Songs 2:4). As rebels, we’ve been reconciled to Abba, Father. As independents, we’ve been adopted into a big grace-family. As captives to the dominion of darkness, we’ve been rescued and delivered into the kingdom of your belovedness (Col. 1:13). As the spiritually dead, we’ve been raised to newness of life (Rom. 6:4). Jesus, your cross was our Judgment Day and your return will be our Wedding Day. And your present enthronement is our Peace-for-Every-Day. Since you claim our battles as yours, faith, hope, and love are now the order of the day—not fear, despair, and anger. Help us enjoy and walk more freely in this freedom you’ve won for us. When we forget (or ignore) you, Jesus—and who we are in you, quickly bring us back to worship expressing itself in trust, and faith expressing itself in love (Gal. 5:6). So Very Amen we pray   Wish you had a 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

Staggered by the Servant Love of Jesus

October 24, 2022 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Staggered by the Servant Love of Jesus SCOTTY SMITH “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27).   Lord Jesus, paradox of all paradoxes… you created the entire cosmos (Col. 1:16; John 1:3). You sustain everything we see, and don’t see, by the power of your word (Heb. 1:3) You are the ruler of the kings of the earth, and everything else (Rev. 1:5). You are currenting making all things gloriously new, and will gloriously finish doing so at your return (Rev. 21:5). And on that Day, all things will be summed up in you (Eph. 1:10), for you are the reason, meaning, and goal of everything that exists. YET so gloriously yet… You took the lowest place imaginable in life. Servant of servants—the promised “Servant of the Lord”… you didn’t come to us to be served, but to serve, and to give (your) life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:25). You came to serve us by saving through the supreme sacrifice of your life. Hallelujah, and thank you. Even today, from our Father’s right hand, you are serving us.  . “continuously living to intercede for us—saving us completely” (Heb.7:25). Mind-boggling, heart-stretching, knee-buckling wonder of wonders… even when you return, “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them” (Luke 12:37). Jesus, how can it be? You are coming back to serve us. You have only and forever served us, and it will never stop. Throughout eternity, “the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water’” (Rev. 7:17). Humbled and grateful, we go with you today into our marriages, parenting, vocations, boardrooms, friending, and neighboring, as servants. So Very Amen.   Wish you had a 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