Today I'm starting over in Comforts from the Cross, by Elyse Fitzpatrick. The women of Grace Church have been reviewing her messages together she gave at Gilbert back in April. They are just as outstanding as I remember and it has encouraged me to throw myself back into the Gospel and less on myself. How my soul needs to be reminded of it's truths.
"I think it's very easy for me to focus my attention on myself. I don't mean that I just sit around thinking about me and how wonderful I am (although I'm not about that!). No, I mean that I tend to focus my thought on my Christianity- how I'm doing, what I'm learning, how my prayer time was today, how I avoided that pesky sin or fell into it again. I think about what I'm supposed to accomplish for Christ, and I interact with others on that same works-oriented ground. But this day isn't about me at all. It's about him: his sinless life, death, resurrection, ascension, and reign and the sure promise of his return. It's the gravity of his life that should attract my thought toward him.
Plainly stated, let me encourage you to proclaim the gospel to yourself today and every day. Our poor burdened hearts are in such need of a gospel celebration. When you fail today, you need the comfort of this proclamation: he died for that very sin. Tell yourself about his death. When you feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities, remember that he is ruling sovereignly over every facet of your life, and soon he will return to right every wrong and relieve you of your trouble. When you wonder if you life will ever change, he wants you to remember that he is coming back and that this life as it is won't last forever. Make a proclamation! Celebrate! "I'm forgiven; he's paid the penalty for all my sin; he's my husband and soon he'll return to take me to our heavenly home!"
I pray today would be a celebration of the gospel!
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