A reminder... I have far to go... my brattiness exacerbates my discontent... high-lighting my self-centeredness... so stiff-necked... frustrated with myself that I still reside so far from having...
Yet... God... in His grace... provides a word... a reminder that stills my heart...
Treadmill reading...
The Bible says that our real problem is that every one of us is building our identity on something besides Jesus. Whether it's to succeed in our chosen field or to have a certain relationship -- or even to get up and walk -- we're saying, "If I have that, if I get my deepest wish, then everything will be okay." You're looking to that thing to save you from oblivion, from disillusionment, from mediocrity. You've made that wish into your savior. You never use that term, of course -- but that's what's happening. And if you never quite get it, you're angry, unhappy, empty. But if you do get it, you ultimately feel more empty, more unhappy. You've distorted your deepest wish by trying to make it into your savior, and now that you finally have it, it's turned on you.
Jesus says, "You see, if you have me, I will actually fulfill you, and if you fail me, I will always forgive you. I'm the only savior who can do that."
---Timothy Keller, King's Cross
(emphasis mine)
My discontent... anger... a reminder that I am not abiding in Christ... I have stepped away... out of step with the Spirit... trusting in tiny... empty... saviors...
"Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. ..."
1Samuel 12:20-22
ESV
(emphasis mine)
Today... I did not even post what I wanted to post... but in this I'm content... a gracious God... who longs for me to abide in Him... this is gospel... good news...
A gospel is an announcement of something that has happened in history, something that's been done for you that changes your status forever.
Right there you can see the difference between Christianity and all other religions, including no religion. The essence of other religions is advice; Christianity is essentially news. Other religions say, "This is what you have to do in order to connect to God forever; this is how you have to live in order to earn your way to God." But the gospel says, "This is what has been done in history. This is how Jesus lived and died to earn the way to God for you." Christianity is completely different. It's joyful news.
--- more Timothy Keller, King's Cross
Thank You, Father God... for the reminder of Good News... thank You for grace and forgiveness... for Your name... for Your glory... amen...
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