New Book

Matt and I are reading a book called "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges with an "older" couple in our church. The book points out the need for the gospel to be at work in our hearts as believers, ESPECIALLY in those places where we easily tolerate our own sin. "I'm just an anxious person" or "all young parents get angry at their kids" etc. etc. We have just gotten into it and it's neat. It doesn't say "oohh, look at all of the things you do wrong!" in a condemning way. It's more of a convicting "we are called to live in a way that honors and glorifies God, here are some areas that you are not allowing the truth of His Gospel to get to. Let's reveal those and let Jesus work." I feel like we're in a bit over our heads, it's going to be challenging. But I'm thankful at the same time.

Here are a few verses from the "Ungodliness" chapter I just read. (Just to note, he describes "ungodliness" as "...living one's everyday life with little or no thought of God or of God's will, or of God's glory, or of one's dependence on God." (p. 54) That certainly describes a lot of the parts of my days!!)

Psalm 42:1-2 "As the deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?"

Psalm 63:1 "O God you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

I'm praying that those statements would be MORE of what defines my heart and mind each day - longing, thirsting, seeking after the Lord - fellowship and communion with Him, rather than pursuit of my own idea, control, peace, order... What joy and wonder would follow! How much would my kids lives be blessed if I was more concerned with meeting with the Lord than with them behaving just how I'd prefer. How much more would mu husband feel loved if I was loving him with the love I have first received through Jesus? Why do I waste so much time an energy on other things? This is where life is really found!

Thanks for bearing with my thoughts today. I'm sure this book will prompt more thoughts and blog entries. I'm looking forward to how He'll be at work!