Astonishment, Amazement, Adoration of Jesus

Heavenward. Read the latest from Scotty Smith's blog.

Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Astonishment, Amazement, Adoration of Jesus SCOTTY SMITH "Out of reverence for Christ…" (Eph. 5:21)   Dear Jesus, it always come back to you, and well it should. All of life is to be lived out of reverence for you—that is, with astonishment, amazement, and adoration. Astonishment that One so glorious as you would pour grace upon grace upon us. Amazement that you who know us the best love us the most. Adoration fueled by a greater experience of your truth, goodness and beauty. We want to cherish you, Jesus, not live afraid or in doubt of you. Your perfect love drives out all fear, and your Spirit pours in great love. Fear has to do with judgment and punishment—and, hallelujah, you exhausted both for us on the cross. Keep turning our dread into delight, and our unbelief into uninhibited love for you and others. We want to honor you, Jesus, and not take you for granted. This is often a great struggle, for we are presumptuous and we live in a culture of entitlement. Forgive us when the theology of the Gospel rolls off our lips with staccato-like precision, yet without childlike wonder. Forgive us for misrepresenting you—in our Gospel-lite thoughts, by our graceless words, and through our selfish choices. We want to worship you, Jesus, and not fall into heartless familiarity or the chilling of our affection for you. You died to make us your Bride, you live to make us like yourself, you are coming back to treasure and enjoy us forever. Don't let us ever get used to our rich standing in grace and secure place in your heart. Keep us humble, grateful, and kind towards others. So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

It’s Still the Most Important Question

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH It's Still the Most Important Question SCOTTY SMITH Jesus asked them a question, saying, "What do you think about the Christ?" (Matt 22:42)   Dear Jesus, you never asked a question to inform yourself, but always to transform us. Thank you. So who do I believe you are? I'll answer in two ways—with my theology, and with my experience—for both matter. Through the Scriptures, I know you to be fully God—equal to the Father and Holy Spirit in eternal glory. You are creator, sustainer and restorer of all things—the reason "stars sing and angels shout" (Job 38:7), demons tremble (James 2:19) and we rejoice (Lk.10:20). You came into the world as the second Adam—God in the form of a baby, the baby who willingly died in our place as a 33-year-old man—the promised Messiah, our perfect substitute. You are the "Yes" to every promise Abba made (2Cor.1:3)—the focus, meaning, and hero of the entire Bible (Luke 24:27)—our "righteousness, holiness, and redemption" (1Cor.1:30). You always live to intercede for us (Heb.7:25), and you will never stop delighting in us (Isa.62:50). You know us the best, and you love us the most… and there's so much more about you, Lord. But here's the experience question—and you know the answer to this one too, Jesus. And because of your grace, we don't have to "fudge" or pretend. What we think about you is critical, indeed. However, you also ask us, "Do you think about me? Do you love me?" That is, do we behold your beauty, Jesus? Do we meditate on your glory, adore you for who are, abide in your love? These questions aren't meant to generate shame, but fuel our freedom. Jesus close the gap between an informed mind and an inflamed heart in us. So Very VERY Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

Revealing Jesus When Stressed, Hurting, Anxious

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Revealing Jesus When Stressed, Hurting, Anxious SCOTTY SMITH   "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We're hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." 2Cor.4:7-10   Dear Jesus, comparing my challenges to the Apostle Paul's is like comparing me holding a ukulele to The Beatles, Flip Flops to Birkenstocks, canned sardines to filet mignon. There is no comparison. But Paul's freedom to speak of treasure and anguish in the same sentence is very convicting and encouraging to me. Jesus, you are the treasure—not treasure giver. In my most Gospel-sane moments, I easily affirm that you are all I need and want, and more than I can imagine and hope. Free me to be 100 times more enthralled with your goodness and beauty than whiny and blame-full about my stress and disappointments. Though there are moments/seasons when throwing in the towel, choosing a different story, or running to a distant land seem incredibly attractive, where else would I (we) go but to you? Only you give the words of life, the riches of grace, and the hope of glory. You didn't come into our world to be our fix and fixer, but our Savior and life. If being weak best reveals your awesomeness, keep me weak. If the aroma of grace is most fully released through "cracks" in my jar-of-clay-ness, don't patch up my cracks. Reveal more of yourself to me and through me, Jesus. There is no greater privilege, joy, and honor. So Very Amen.           Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

Early-Onset “Christmas-ing”

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Early-Onset "Christmas-ing" SCOTTY SMITH "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" (Ps.56:3). "Those who hope in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar eagle-high, run without weariness, walk without fainting" (Isa.40:31). "Don't be afraid… I hold the keys…" (Rev.1:17-18).   Lord Jesus, it's just November 18th but the trend continues. First it was a couple of mailboxes in our neighborhood, then a front door or three, and now a few houses are already in full bore "Christmas-Vacation"-decoration-mode. And we haven't had Thanksgiving lunch yet. I understand why, so I'm not reaching for my Advent Policeman cap-and-pad to write citations. Before long, we'll be singing "The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight." But that was true long before it became a song about your birth. Jesus, because of you, we can risk hoping, and because of you we're not afraid to own our fears. Accordingly, 37 days from Christmas we want to affirm these three things: First of all, our hope is in you—not in cabinet appointments or lower taxes—not in the "old ways" or new romance, more money or less hassles. Second, we do have fears. Jesus, we fear "the crazy" and "meanness" that permeate our culture. We fear people who sneeze. We fear our fickleness and unbelief. We fear what the future will be like for our grandchildren. We fear lab reports, aging, rejection, and more trauma. You know all this, so we don't have to pretend. Thank you. Third, we affirm our hopes and fears find full and final resolution in you, Jesus. You are the "Yes" to every promise God made (2Cor.1:20), and your perfect love drives out our fears (1Jn.4:18) But you aren't merely our "happy ending," right now you are our life (Phil.1:21)—that is, our "righteousness, holiness, redemption" (1Cor.1:30); our "portion," joy, and inheritance. Hallelujah, and So Very Amen.     Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

For the Next Six Weeks and Two Days (And Beyond)

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH For the Next Six Weeks and Two Days (And Beyond) SCOTTY SMITH "Encourage one another—and all the more as you see 'the Day' approaching" (Heb.10:25).   Heavenly Father, what a destiny we have as your children, what a Father you are as our Abba, what riches you have given us in the Gospel. Because of Jesus' finished work, our forever will be sin-void, evil-absent, and beauty-filled. The day of Jesus' return and everything that day will bring with it is awesome it has its own name—"the Day." Eternity will be relationally perfect and environmentally flawless—trees and mountains will clap and skip (Isa.55:12, Ps.114:4). We ourselves will frolic like new born calves (Mal.4:2) and wolves and lambs will nap together (Isa.11:9). Stress, rush, mean, and fear will be forever gone. We'll soon realize that whatever we thought "heaven" would be—our bar was too low, our hopes were too lame, our imagination was too tiny. SO, Father, until that perfectly timed Day, you have called and commissioned us to live as non-stop encouragers, mercy-friends, and grace-fountains to each other. Why would we choose otherwise? Life is so short. You are so good. Our forever is so perfect. Our now is so in your hands. For the remaining 6 weeks and 2 days of 2024, free us to speak words of life and kindness to each other. May we catch each other "doing it right," and honor one another above ourselves. Help us overlook stuff that irritates in the moment but will be forgotten forever. Father, thank you for Jesus, and everything else. Whether we die before Jesus returns—or even before this Christmas, we are presently and forever yours. Nothing can separate us from your love, or derail your plans for anything. In Jesus' name and for your glory we offer our, So Very Amen.     Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.