I've Finished Reading "Living The Cross Centered Life"

Ok, so I'm probably late to the party on reading this book but as they say "better late than never". You know, as I read these kind of books, I wish I had known about them earlier. CJ Mahaney just does a great job giving us all a fantastic reminder why the cross should be central to the lives we lead and the thoughts we think.

The book is 14 Chapters long (154 pages) and is a fairly short read. But the message contained in its pages is nourishing to the soul and very helpful.

Mahaney takes you all the way from understanding what the Gospel really is and why it should be central to our lives to giving practical suggestions on how to keep the cross at the center of your daily life.

For perfectionists like me, there is a chapter in this book that was awesome. In it, Mahaney talks about why the Gospel breaks the bonds of legalism and how those who strive for spiritual performance for their justification before God can simply quit "spinning plates" as he calls it and look to the finished work of Jesus on the cross for their right standing before a Holy Creator. I need that more than I'll ever know and as Mahaney suggests, I need to preach it to myself every day.

Jesus died on a cross and bore the wrath I was meant to bear so that I might stand before the Father and have him look on me as he looks on His Son. I am 31 years old and don't have the slightest inclination that I fully and deeply understand this truth. But I pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit that each day brings new depth to my soul in regards to the cross.