One of the many gifts my school gives its teachers is a spiritual renewal day. We have two of these that we are required to "use or lose" before the end of the year. The day is to be one of rest, during which we can spend extended time with the Lord that we wouldn't normally have on a weekday.
Today was mine. And oh, how I love these days.
Aside from a 3-mile walk on a beautiful morning, a cup of coffee and some time in Scripture, I spent the afternoon reading this book:
Julie gave me this book several years ago, and I finally got around to reading it! I'm a little slow...
Usually when I read a new book, I expect to learn something new. This book was exactly what I needed to read today, because its message was one that isn't new but is too often forgotten.
C.J. Mahaney exhorts his readers to come back to the gospel. To make it the "main thing". To remember daily that Jesus Christ died so that sinners would be reconciled to God and forgiven by God. To remember that the holy God of the universe gave Himself up for us because we could never know Him on our own. To remember that it is because of Jesus alone that I am forgiven, accepted, and righteous in God's sight.
I was challenged by this book today. I'm distracted by too many things in this life. Busy schedules, responsibilities, commitments, and worries consume my thoughts. If I truly had the gospel at the center of my life, in the center of my thoughts, how much more could I focus on what truly matters? How much more would my day be governed by this one defining truth? Jesus died for me. He loves me. Because of Him I have hope.
Lord, help me live a cross-centered life.
that's so great school gives you these days during the year! and a great message to be reminded of daily...it is so easy for Satan to distract us in our busy lives...we often forget the one thing that gives us life each day!
ReplyDeleteI just listened to a GREAT sermon (also by Mahaney...), talking about this same thing! Glad you're learning this, too!
ReplyDelete