“Holy Trinity,
All praise to Thee for electing me to salvation, by foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus; I adore the wonders of Thy condescending love, marvel at the true believer’s high privilege within whom all heaven comes to dwell, abiding in God and God in him; I believe it, help me experience it to the full. Continue to teach me that Christ’s righteousness satisfies justice and evidences Thy love; Help me to make use of it by faith as the ground of my peace and of Thy favor and acceptance, so that I may live always near the cross. It is not feeling the Spirit that proves my saved state but the truth of what Christ did perfectly for me; All holiness in Him is by faith made mine, as if I had done it; Therefore I see the use of His righteousness, for satisfaction to divine justice and making me righteous. It is not inner sensation that makes Christ’s death mine for that may be delusion, being without the Word, and so testified by Word and Spirit. I bless Thee for these lively exercises of faith, for the righteousness that is mine in Jesus, for grace to resign my will to Thee; I rejoice to think that all things are at Thy disposal, and I love to leave them there. Then prayer turns wholly into praise, and all I can do is to adore and love Thee. I want not the favor of man to lean upon, for I know that Thy electing grace is infinitely better.”
Above is a Puritan prayer from “The Valley of Vision” entitled “Election.” This prayer has, time and time again, re-adjusted my focus back to the gospel. I long to “live always near the cross.” There is such freedom when, through the power of the Holy Spirit, my thoughts and affections are fixed on Christ and the cross. I see the truth of my own depravity, my own inability to be righteous, and my utter helplessness (Romans 3:23). I see the hatred God has for sin and the chasm of separation from Him caused by my sin (Ephesians 2:12). But oh, I see Christ, the Righteous One, the perfect Son of God, carrying my cross to Calvary (Luke 23:46-47). I see the wrath of God that I deserved being poured out on this sinless Savior (2 Corinthians 5:21). How sweet the sound when I hear Him cry, “It is finished!” I see the curtain torn in two, the chasm between me and this Holy God being done away with because all of my sin has been nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). I see Christ rise from the dead, defeating sin and death, and ascend to the right hand of the Throne of God. There, this Great High Priest intercedes for me before the Father (Romans 8:34). Then my soul soars when I imagine with great anticipation, the day that is coming. On that day I will, at last, see my Savior face-to-face and endlessly cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).
There is no greater joy than that which is found in the un-ending depths of the gospel. I love what Pastor Jared Wilson says in his commentary on 2 Peter. He says, “The gospel is not something we move past; it is something we remember and enjoy our whole lives long. It is grace that changes us from the inside out.” What grace it is to know that we can never exhaust the riches of the gospel!
This month’s song is “This the Power of the Cross.” The words and music of this song were written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. This song so powerfully (no pun intended) captures the glory of the gospel. I am anxious to dwell on the lyrics of this song and let the truth of the gospel wash over me day by day. I hope that as we meditate on the gospel this month, it will propel us to further delight in Christ and more passionately share the gospel with those around us.
Rest in this truth, friends: “We stand forgiven at the cross.”
In Christ, Heather.
Click here to print your copy of the planner.
*Page 8 features two printable bookmarks to cut out and use.
Click here to listen to “This the Power of the Cross.”
Ceaseless Praise 