GCD Weekly Newsletter - 5/23/22
What we do when it all goes wrong...
I woke my four kids up at 4:30am and loaded them in the minivan along the luggage for my wife and mother-in-law. We made the early trek to the airport and dropped them off at the entrance. The four kids and I left the airport in the same minivan while my wife and mother-in-law left on a plane headed for Hawaii. I love my kids and am grateful for every opportunity to spend with them, but I can’t help but thinking I drew the short straw on this deal.
While my wife soaks in the sun on the most beautiful beaches you can imagine (she’s really there to work but allow me to mope a little), I’m trying to homeschool my kids, keep the house somewhat clean, and accomplish all my normal weekly duties.
The hardest part is teaching math…I understand it well but trying to convey it to an unwilling 8-year-old is torture. After checking his work, I let him know one of the answers was wrong which caused him to break out in tears. He’s a perfectionist who hates to make mistakes.
But, we are not that different are we? Theologically, we know we are sinners who won’t always get it right, yet it’s just so hard to admit it. I can admit my wrongs generally (I’m a sinner) but it’s much harder to admit to specific wrongs we have done.
This week’s articles remind us that we will mess up, but we shouldn’t lose all hope. Thankfully, we can rightfully apologize and remember our Lord’s mercy toward us even as we are sifted.
This Week at GCDiscipleship.com
How to Apologize by John Beeson | In our proud and division culture, Christians who are willing to admit their sin and sincerely apologize will seem radical. Beeson provides helpful examples of what this does and does not look like. “By not learning how to apologize, we miss out on God’s purposes for our hearts and for the possibility of true reconciliation.”
Reflections on Temptation From Peter’s Sifting by Wendy Willard | On the night of Jesus’s arrest, Judas wasn’t the only one who betrayed Christ. Scripture gives us insight into the heart of God as Jesus prays for Peter and his upcoming sifting. Willard reflects on this story and provides encouragement for those of us who, like Peter, have fallen short and feel unworthy.
The God Who Saves: The Order of Salvation by Will Dobie | In the recently released 30-day devotional From Everlasting to Everlasting, author Will Dobbie reminds us of the joy and confidence a believer can have when we know where we are in God’s great plan of redemption.
Letters to the Editor
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Thanks for reading,
James Williams | Staff Writer