Today is Good Friday.
While for some, that may just be a meaningless event pre-written on the calendar, it is much more to me.
This weekend defines the existence of my entire life. For it is on Good Friday that I remember the truth of my total depravity:
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked”
“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
“without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins”
I focus not only on my depravity and insufficiency, but on Jesus:
“he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself”
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
“While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
This week, I have been consciously working to meditate on the Gospel – the truths mentioned above. And while the Gospel is the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, I choose to take the week leading up to Easter Sunday to focus on my sin & Jesus’ death for it.
One resource that has been helpful to me in this area is a small devotional book entitled Gospel Meditations for Women.
Written by Chris Anderson & Joe Tyrpak, this devotional book is small, but packed with Scripture and practical applications of the Gospel to my daily life as a woman. Divided into 31 days, each reading contains 4 things:
- a Scripture passage to read,
- one verse to focus on,
- an explanation of the passage, and
- one specific way in which the Gospel should influence your life today.
I do not consistently use devotional books for my daily time with God. However, I have found them to be extremely profitable during certain seasons of my life (such as giving birth). When the rest of my life is abnormal, it is a blessing to have one constant time in my day.
If you would like to buy this book, you can find it here. They are $2.50 each with $5 shipping. My suggestion? Buy extra and give them as gifts. My sister-in-law gave me this book and I kept sending her random texts telling her how much I was enjoying the book.
Now for the good part. I e-mailed Chris Anderson and asked if he would consider giving a copy of this devotional book away to one of you. He kindly said yes! I wish each one of you could win it because this book has been such a blessing to me. But at least one of you will get it!
Here are the details:
- to enter: leave a comment on this post.
- bonus points: tell me 1 word that you would use to describe the Gospel.
- open to: anyone in the USA.
- giveaway ends: Thursday night, 4/12/12, at 11:59pm EST.
- what you win: 1 copy of Gospel Meditations for Women.
- details: winner chosen via random.org & announced next Friday, 4/13/12.
Giveaway now closed. Thanks for all who entered!
Comments
32 responses to “Meditating on the Gospel”
This sounds like a good book! Would love to read it! Thanks, Christa!
The Gospel is ….hope!
I need to work on meditation, so this would be great!
The Gospel is security!
[…] friend Christa wrote a great post on the significance of Good Friday in our lives (and she has a great giveaway which you might want […]
Awesome! Sounds like a great/helpful read!
Also, the Gospel is: Complete.
The Gospel is complete!
Sounds like a great book. Thank you. Gospel is TRUTH!
The Gospel has been our source of our daily hope and strength.
Sounds like a great book! I would love to read it. The Gospel is grace.
(thanks for the facebook reminder to enter 🙂
The Gospel is my source of hope.
I like the idea of a 31 day devotional. I’ve been looking for a devo for a new believer that needs to build the habit of daily devotions!
sounds like a great book. would love to read it! 🙂
The Gospel is LOVE, undeserved, unmerited… LOVE!
The Gospel is…powerful.
Saipan is co.sidered US 😉 like Guam. And I’d love to win this book 🙂
That does sound like a good book! I love the words others used… mine is “gift.”
Sounds like a wonderful book! The Gospel is truth.
Sounds like a great book!!
I agree with Christina! The Gospel is L-O-V-E!!
I just love your blog! I enjoy watching your children grow and I also like your craftiness. Your choice of books have encouraged me to get some more leisure reading done.
One word that describes the Gospel. Mercy
I liked what you wrote about our depravity and our need for the Savior! Jesus’ desire to do His Father’s will is amazing! And His love for us in laying down His life for the sheep; His silence as He was accused and beaten; His concern for others when He was on the cross; etc. Truly amazing. Good to ponder. I would say that a word for the Gospel is “Jesus”. Thanks for your good post and for giving the Gospel in it!
Sounds like a great book–would love to win so I can read it too! 😉
I’d love to read this amazing book!!!
The gospel is hope!
just trying to sneak in at the last minute. 🙂
Souds like a book I would really benefit from!
Love
The Gospel is LIFE!
This book looks like one that I need to read!! 🙂 The gospel to me is… love.
FORGIVEN!!!