midweek Gospel

I realized this morning, waking up with my crisp cup of Joe and chocolate chip muffin, that by the middle of the week, I am distracted. By Wednesday or Thursday, I have forgotten the key exhortations from Sunday's sermon and find myself grasping for a level of intimacy with God that falls short of my desire. Spending time with community is an essential time of encouragement, rebuking, and truth affirmation. But let's face it...in the context of my work schedule and commitment to my husband (the greatest source of community for a wife), I am unable to meet at Peet's with my sisters in Christ like I could in my days at UCLA (as a student, of course). Time in the Word and in prayer are necessary to maintaining intimacy with the Lord, but even that is maimed by the disctractions that I easily give way to. I find myself midweek yearning for more...


And then it hit me. What I NEED more than anything else is the Gospel. I need this preached to me every minute of every day, or else I labor in vain. I need the weapon of the Word to penetrate my being, overwhelming me with righteous humility and dependence on the One who died for me. I need this at all times.


So, I thought it would be beneficial to begin a "midweek Gospel" category for my blog posts, in hopes that it redirects my attention on what "...is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8).



"...Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)


This truth always strikes deep. I love the contrast between the joy set before Him and the shame, the immense sacrifice prior to the unadulterated glorification of God's Son.


May we dwell on the truth of the Gospel today and always, ceasing to labor in vain.