This week my mom came down from Santa Clarita to visit me. It was an unexpected visit. I happened to have some time off work and she wanted to see some friends in the area so she popped down for the day. We sat by my pool, we drove to Old Town, we got lost on the way, we ate dinner at Miguel's Cocina, we got to talk and laugh and just be together and it was wonderful. I have always enjoyed hanging out with my mom. She is one of my dearest friends. We kinda click the way that besties do. Lately, though, i have found it especially wonderful to discuss my Savior with my mom. I feel like the Lord is teaching my mom and i some of the same things right now. He is revealing Himself to us in many of the same ways and sharing it with one another has been so sweet.
We got on the topic of the Gospel together. When was the last time you did that? Discussed the Gospel with someone. Not just in the sense of evangelism but dwelled together on how Christ, God incarnate, came into the world, lived perfectly, as no one else ever could, died on the cross taking the just penalty for your sin and mine, and imputing to us the merited honor He Himself earned in said perfect life, thereby satisfying God's wrath and gracing us with righteous standing before our Maker, and He is victorious over sin and death demonstrated by His resurrection from the grave and His ascension to the right hand of the Father. When was the last time you considered in your conversation what this glorious occurrence means for your life today? I've been thinking a lot about this lately. My view of the place of the Gospel in my life has changed considerably this past year. I attend a church where the Gospel is preached weekly for the benefit of believers and unbelievers alike. And it is beautiful!
My mom and i discussed this change in my perspective. The more i dwell on this, the more i talk about it with other people, the more i see it in my time in the word. For example the other day i was reading Hebrews and this verse stood out to me, "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today", that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) How do we exhort one another daily to combat deceit? We tell one another the truth. The truth of the glorious Gospel of God. The truth that changes lives. I have a friend who told me about the importance of "gospeling" people in your life. Who ever thought of making the Gospel of verb? But what she means is telling others about how the life, death, and resurrection of Christ applies to the situation they are in. And it always does. The Gospel changes everything. I'm learning this a little more each day. I hope it is something i make a habit of sharing for our good and His glory.
