I recently started studying Galatians and am using a workbook created by Tim Keller as I go along. It’s fabulous. This morning, I read this excerpt from Martin Luther, explaining how to “speak the gospel” to yourself when your mind and heart lead you away from the righteousness attributed to you – by nothing you have done or can do – through faith in Christ:

So learn to “speak the gospel” to one’s heart. For example, when the law creeps into your conscience, learn to be a cunning logician —learn to use arguments of the gospel against it. Say:

O law! You would climb up into the kingdom of my conscience, and there reign and condemn me for sin, and would take from me the joy of my heart which I have by faith in Christ, and drive me to desperation, that I might be without hope. You have overstepped your bounds. Know your place! You are a guide for my behavior, but you are not Savior and Lord of my heart. For I am baptized, and through the gospel am called to receive righteousness and eternal life… So trouble me not! For I will not allow you, so intolerable a tyrant and tormentor, to reign in my heart and conscience — for they are the seat and temple of Christ the Son of God, who is the king of righteousness and peace, and my most sweet savior and mediator. He shall keep my conscience joyful and quiet in the sound and pure doctrine of the gospel, through the knowledge of this passive and heavenly righteousness.

When we are assured of this righteousness, we not only cheerfully work well in our vocations, but we submit to all manner of burdens and dangers in this present life, because we know that this is the will of God, and that this obedience pleases him.

We (our whole family) had a rough start this morning. It was loud, chaotic, no one got any sleep last night, Mike was running late, the walls felt like they were closing in on us… Phew. I write that all out and it sounds so…dramatic, doesn’t it? Now that I’ve stepped back, and in light of Luther’s wisdom when he says, “Nothing gives peace like this passive righteousness,” I’m reminded that yes, Jesus has done everything for me. Everything. I can’t discipline my kids perfectly, not even close. I can’t keep my house clean enough all the time in order to stave off discontent of such small quarters. I can’t be a good friend, a good wife, a good neighbor on my own. Why? Because nothing in me is good except that which has been given to me through Jesus. I can’t work myself into contentment, perfect disciplinarian, awesome friend. But I can be at peace with who I am in the Lord and surrender to and accept what He’s already done. I can live in freedom. And where there’s freedom, there’s peace.

I wish I could move on from thinking and typing this out and expect a day filled with me skipping through fluffy clouds, or flowery fields, or whatever else I might imagine to be fairly carefree. The truth is that I am called through Scripture to ACTIVELY put on the truth. Yes, the truth dwells in me. Only because of the truth am I able to faithfully depend on Christ to shape and change my attitude and heart, every moment. But I must surrender, every moment. Even now, my kids have been so sweet to give mama a little time to study this morning, and they’ve been great. But I hear them now, arguing over a truck or a shirt or something silly, and anger and annoyance rise up in an instant. Here is an opportunity to put on grace, joy, peace. Not by my own works, but through prayer and remembrance that Jesus has already bestowed these things on me. He died for me. I have all I need in Him. Why am I so easily shaken? Over such small things as trifles between my children?

Jesus, help me be like you. Help me dwell on how great you are today. Help me extend grace to my children and point to you in the process. Help me show them and everyone around me, through the righteousness you’ve granted that I didn’t work for, that you are truly the Prince of Peace. I desire it. I ask you for it. Thank you for being my precious King.

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