I am exhausted! Let me just start right there. Between the 4:00am wake-up time to get here, the almost 6 miles walked (according to my Apple Watch #crushedmygoals), and the amazing but exhausting time or worship and listening to the Word preached; I am beat.

But let me tell you, it has all been worth it! This is my first experience at being physically present at the T4G conference. I have participated online but never have I actually been here with around 10,000 other believers praising God and growing through the preaching of the Word. The singing alone has challenged my soul with moments of great joy and brokenness. Let me give you just a taste of what we were testifying to one another in song.

“Looking to Christ, who condescended, Took on flesh to ransom us…Christ, the great and sure fulfillment Of the law, in Him we stand…Bringing many sons to glory, Grace unmeasured, love untold…Christ in power resurrected, As we will be, when He comes.” ~Come, Behold the Wondrous Mystery (Hymn 184, Hymns of Grace)

We had three good speakers today. But the message that stood out to me was C.J. Mahaney speaking on suffering from the book of Job. Mahaney spoke with a pastoral passion that can only be expressed from a man who has felt suffering that has led to questioning God’s motives. Job made this same mistake along with many of us who have faced the dark and cold loneliness and terror of suffering. But as it was for Job, so it is for us. We must see the magnitude of who God is, in order for us to bow at His feet in humble submission to his omniscient sovereignty.

“Grace to bow down to the God who is God…Job doesn’t want anything else but God. That is enough…Only one remedy for sin and its consequences…someone truly innocent must suffer. His name was Jesus.” ~C.J. Mahaney

What is amazing is that Jesus came to save us from our sin. I am amazed. Why me?

“The great mystery is not why we suffer, it is, why would the sinless Son of God take our place?” ~C.J. Mahaney

And so, it is for this purpose I am here. To be encouraged through the fellowship of the conference, but to also be humbled at the feet of my Savior as I am reminded of His humility that led Him to the cross on my behalf. The punishment that caused my Savior to drown in the wrath of His Father and to feel a separation by the Trinity that had never and will never occur again.

Day one: Complete!

Lord Jesus, thank you.

A quick thought from my message prep for Sunday:

Thoughts from Philippians 4:1-6

“Life will have its deep, dark challenges. Paul was facing many of them. He new what rejection, physical abuse, social rejection, betrayal, and being mocked felt like. But he knew of Someone else who felt our pain and instead of leaving us in that pain He made a way to resolve it. Through a transformation that would change our course of life; from pursuing dead things in our deadness as a community of walking dead. Instead we are given life through Jesus, a new heart, a new motivation, a new solid rock to trust as we walk through this life. Until one day, He will come for His followers and make right every wrong and united we will live in peace for all eternity. This is life with God.”

Have a great weekend!