Suffering Is “Light and Momentary” Even When It Seems Otherwise

September 9, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Suffering Is "Light and Momentary" Even When It Seems Otherwise SCOTTY SMITH “We don’t lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Cor.4:16). “Jesus will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” (Phil.3:21). “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps.73:26).   Lord Jesus, many friends are struggling with health challenges, body aches, and physical maladies—including my best friend, Darlene my wife. First of all, thank you for the gift of lament. The Gospel doesn’t make us less human, but more so. Tears are the evidence of faith, not its absence. Quite honestly, Jesus, an eternity of perfect health is looking better than ever. Hallelujah… our healing will be complete, and we’ll never experience any form of sickness and pain. No more cancer, poison ivy, or blurry vision; no joint aches, heart aches, or even hang nails; no more or memory loss, stenosis, or need to say, “It’s just a cold.” Jesus, thank you for not only securing the absence of evil and the perfection of our spirits, but also the resurrection of our bodies. Even as you were raised from the dead; so shall we be. We groan now, but we’ll be whole and dance forever. These “light and momentary troubles” (2 Cor.4:17-18) are incredibly inconvenient, bothersome, but have an eternal expiration date. Until that Day, we’ll take care of ourselves, Jesus, and trust you for healing, health, and sufficient grace (2 Cor.12:8-10). By the power of your Spirit, help us steward our suffering, grow in our compassion for others, and experience daily renewal in the Gospel. It won’t be long before everything is “put right” and forever new. Thank you, and So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Beloved by Jesus and Getting “Bugged” by Less

September 8, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Beloved by Jesus and Getting "Bugged" by Less SCOTTY SMITH   “Fools show their annoyance at once” Prov. 12:16. “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense” Prov. 19:11.   Lord Jesus, reading these Scriptures, I want to respond, “Busted”—for I stand convicted. But I choose to respond, “Beloved”—because that’s the only way we ever really deal with our sin. Because of your great love for us, repentance is a joy and hope for change is real. This side of glorification, I don’t really expect to be annoyance-free or perfect at overlooking offenses. But I do believe I can get “bugged” by less and take more of life in stride. Jesus, give me and my friends grace and wisdom to know what to take seriously and what not to lose any sleep, joy, peace over. Give us bigger hearts and thicker skin. Life between your resurrection and return will continue to be marked by imperfect people, broken everything, and inward groaning for the Day of all things new. Holding onto slights, rehearsing hurtful comments, mulling over ways we can get even—nothing good can really come from those things. In a culture where road rage has spread to entitlement rage, having-to-wait rage, identity rage, politics rage, you’re-in-my-parking-spot rage, you-took-the-last-cookie rage… Jesus, we want to be different, because you call us to be different. Kindness, not rightness, is to mark us—the fruit of the Spirit, not the confirmation of our immaturity. In fact, Jesus, help us be more aware of when we’re the ones being unnecessarily annoying. Even more so, help us stay aware of your great love for us, your promise of sufficient grace for every situation, and the profound hope we have through the Gospel. Thank you, and So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Our Cloud of Witnesses and Fountains of Grace

September 7, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Our Cloud of Witnesses and Fountains of Grace SCOTTY SMITH   “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace… This grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ…” Eph. 3:7-8   Heavenly Father, today we bless you for the servants of your Word and the Gospel you’ve placed in our lives over the years—including this season. Nothing is more glorious, necessary, and life-giving than the truth, goodness, and beauty of Jesus… revealed by the Spirit to us in the Bible… gifted to us through your appointed means. We’re pausing today to say thank you, Abba. Thank you for the cloud of witnesses in the Scriptures and those you’ve written into our stories—grace-fountains in our wilderness, rescuers as we’ve wandered, those who continue to call us to Gospel-sanity, freedom, and beauty—from heaven and earth. Parents and Sunday School teachers, Young Life leaders and campus ministry directors, pastors and teachers… Neighbors and strangers, angelic visitations and tenacious roommates, disciplers and Gospel-mentors… Authors we’ll only meet in heaven, and songwriters who connect our heads and hearts… Grandmothers who prayed and wept for us, and grandchildren who reveal your grace and kindness to us… Old worn-out cassette tapes, sun-faded book covers, and now, internet-streamed goodness… Missionaries who showed up and friends who will not give up… Thank you heavenly Father. Thank you Lord Jesus. Thank you Holy Spirit. From eternity to Genesis to Revelation—from our first Day in the new heaven and new earth, for the next 10 millenniums, and forever… gracious Triune God, you alone are worthy of our worship—of everything we have and are. Thank you for seeking and saving us. Thank you for those you have sent and continue to use. So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

The Tenderheartedness and Kindness of Our Father

September 6, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH The Tenderheartedness and Kindness of Our Father SCOTTY SMITH   “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:32    Heavenly Father, whether we make it a memory verse, wrist tattoo, email-ending Scripture, a laminated card to keep close and give out, or write it out by hand and tape it to our most visited mirrors, Ephesians 4:32 summarizes your great love for us, and how we are to live and love all the way Home. Hallelujah, your tenderheartedness and kindness towards us are constant, immeasurable, not based on anything in us. And you haven’t “just” forgiven us, you have enveloped us in the righteousness of Jesus. Abba, we want to love others as you love us in Jesus, period—no qualifiers, fine print, “Yes, but’s,” or exception clauses. Make the Gospel, Jesus’ empty cross, and the occupied throne of grace the most defining and delighting realities in our lives. We greatly look forward to the Day when it will be impossible for us to sin, impossible for us to not love—with our thinking, speaking and choosing (1 John 3:1-1). Until that Day, grant us convictable hearts and quicker repentances. You call us to be tender-hearted—not touchy-hearted. When we step into the rawness of people’s difficult day, old wounds, current triggers, or sleepless nights… give us your patience, forbearance, and understanding. Give us long fuses and short memories when it comes to the imperfections and brokenness of others. Oh Abba… we ask it again, make the Gospel, Jesus’ empty cross, and the occupied throne of grace the most defining and delighting realities in our lives. Thank you, and So Very Amen.     Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

The Only “If Only” That Matters

September 5, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH The Only "If Only" That Matters SCOTTY SMITH “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace.”  Luke 19:38-42 Lord Jesus, our ache for peace is undeniable and unrelenting. Even with eternal peace through the Gospel, we remain discontented, restless, demanding. Good longings and better judgment get sabotaged by smells, sights, comparison. The world of “if only” haunts us. If only we were 25 years younger, could live in Singapore, had different genes or jeans, had been born in a different era. If only we could win the lottery, had never been abused, were married (or single) again. If only our kids would say “Yes” to all our suggestions. The if-only-list has no end. Jesus, then we hear you utter the only “If only” that matters. “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace.” Indeed, Jesus, only you—yesterday, today, and forever—are the Prince of Peace, King of calm, and Lord of contentment.    Only in union and fellowship with you can we find the deep peace we crave—the shalom for which we have been made and saved. We will remain peaceless and restless—whether we live in a penthouse or outhouse, have good health or terminal brokenness; whether we are adored, ignored, or loathed… until our hearts can sing to you… or sing again…  “Whom do I have in heaven but you, Jesus? And being with you I desire nothing on earth” (Psalm 73:25-26). Until the Day of peace-full-ness, continue to fill and free our hearts with your peace. All we really need is you, plus what you choose to give us, Jesus. So Very Amen.     Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

A 17-Word Sentence Full of Grace-Riches and Great Hope

September 4, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH A 17-Word Sentence Full of Grace-Riches and Great Hope SCOTTY SMITH “Don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” Luke 12:32   Lord Jesus, the truths contained in this one 17-word sentence stretch our minds, enthrall our hearts, and buckle our knees. First of all, thank us for making us your “little flock” by your sacrificial work as the Lamb of God. You have taken away our sin, and taken us into the heart of our Father. Nothing has more power to expel our fears than being certain of our Father’s love for us (1Jn.4:18). Now as our Good Shepherd, you care for us, protect us, and will lead us into the fullness of God’s Kingdom—an inheritance we now share with you (Heb.1:2; Rom.8:17). We trust you when you speak of our Father’s happiness in giving us the Kingdom; but we also confess our unbelief. By your Holy Spirit, enable our feeble hearts to grasp the wonder of such grace-riches and great hope. It seems too great, too futuristic, too beyond our ability to comprehend. Like Esau, we often prefer tangible, instant gratification, rather than waiting for you to be the “Yes!” to every promise God has made. (Gen.25:27-34). Jesus, until you return, free us to live as outward-loving communities of grace, not ingrown cloisters of anxiety. Worshipping you, sharing the Gospel, creating beauty, loving our neighbors, advocating for justice, extending your mercy… these are sure markers of the present and coming Kingdom. Our labors in you will never be in vain because your labors for us were perfect and complete. So Very Amen. Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe