Book Review: Comforts from the Cross

Comforts From The Cross: Celebrating the Gospel One Day At A Time. Elyse M. Fitzpatrick. 2009. Crossway. 152 pages.

I love the premise of Elyse Fitzpatrick's devotional book, Comforts from the Cross. She writes in the introduction, "nothing, and I mean nothing, is more important than Jesus Christ and the gospel, and this gospel is meant to be remembered and celebrated every day." She goes on to say under the first day: 

"Let me encourage you to proclaim the gospel to yourself today and every day. Our poor burdened hearts are in such need of a gospel celebration. When you fail today, you need the comfort of this proclamation: he died for that very sin. Tell yourself about his death. When you feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities, remember that he is ruling sovereignly over every facet of your life, and soon he will return to right every wrong and relieve you of your trouble. When you wonder if your life will ever change, he wants you to remember that he is coming back and that this life as it is won't last forever. Make a proclamation! Celebrate!" (17)

This devotional book offers readers thirty-one opportunities to do just that: to celebrate and rejoice in the gospel. I love how short and relevant each devotional entry is! I also love how each is based on Scripture and rich in truth.

Favorite quotes:

The key to a godly life is not more and more self-generated effort. Instead, Jesus is saying, "Love me, and your obedience will flow naturally from that love." The secret to obedience isn't formulaic steps found in a self-help book. It is a relentless pursuit of love for him. How then do I cultivate the sincerity of love that motivates obedience? By focusing more intently on his love for me than on my love for him, more on his obedience than mine, more on his faithfulness than mine, more on his strengths than mine. (60)

The Father's purpose in your life, indeed in all the world, is to glorify and magnify his Son (Col. 1:18). It is to make the One who seems insignificant and small to us as marvelous and precious as he really is. (67)

Only gospel truth can make you love to pray. (129)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible