Happy summer! Oh my, how I love the warmth, the pace, the beauty of summer. Thank You Lord! And with this new season, I'm also incredibly grateful for fresh starts--including getting back to this blog. Your mercies are new every morning, Father; great is Your faithfulness. (Lam.3:21-24--one of my very favorite passages). Aren't you thankful we serve a God of second and third and fourth and on and on chances?
In light of that, here is one of my very favorite quotes from Paul David Tripp. I love it, because I need this reminder every single day. I truly am a spiritual amnesiac. I know the Truth...but I forget...again and again. And remembering--and remembering the Truth, not the lies the world or our own flesh feed us--is absolutely critical. So here it is--
"We just never stop talking to ourselves. We never stop preaching some kind of gospel to ourselves. It's a gospel of aloneness, partiality, poverty, inability--of functional hopelessness--or it's the true gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of hope, mercy, forgiveness, rescue, love, transformation; of never being alone, of never being without help; of One who is near, of One who cares; of a beautiful forever awash in victory. We're always listening to what we're preaching.
Today, what kind of gospel will you preach to you, and what effect will it have on how you live?"
Yes, we are all always talking and preaching to ourselves. James reminds us that there is great power in the tongue--our tongues can be used for great good or terrible evil. And this applies just as much to the way we speak to ourselves, our inner monologues, as it does to the way we speak to and about other people.
Today, will you ask yourself: what kinds of words am I speaking to myself? What kind of gospel am I preaching? Am I repeating the world's gospel of lies--the gospel of inadequacy and aloneness and hopelessness and fear? Or am I rehearsing the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ--the gospel of redemption and steadfast love and grace and mercy and hope. His mercies are new every morning, noon, and evening. He is forever faithful and His steadfast love never, ever ceases or even diminishes. It's a new season and time for a new reminder to do what we know, but tend to forget. So today, right now, let's be sure we're preaching the Truth to ourselves. His gospel is glorious, and it is gloriously good news for our hearts and our lives--let's preach it!
To God be the glory.
