Confession time: I have not read this book yet, but I’m going to review it anyway. I always read a book before offering any kind of review. But this book is different. It’s meant to be read one page at a time. It’s a devotional book. Read one page each day, and you will finish it in a year.
This devotional is different than most. It focuses on how the gospel impacts the way we live every day. The gospel is not just our ticket to heaven. It’s the truth that changes the way we live. Paul Tripp does an excellent job of showing us how that happens in his newest book, New Morning Mercies.
If the title sounds familiar, it should. It’s based on the song “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” which is based on a passage of scripture found in Lamentations 3:22-23. “Morning by morning new mercies I see.” That is what Tripp wants to help us see: the mercies of God in our life. Here is how he does it. He begins with a short quotation that shows us the blessings of being a child of God. Here is an example, beginning with his quote:
If eternity is the plan, then it makes no sense to shrink your living down to the needs and wants of this little moment.
He then expounds on that concept, often with short, repetitive statements that are bound to hit you between the eyes. With this particular principle, he says this: The Bible simply does not permit you to live for the moment. In a moment, your thoughts can seem more important than they actually are. In a moment, your emotions can seem more reliable than they really are. In a moment, your needs can seem more essential than they truly are.
After giving more challenges in this area, he concludes with a passage of scripture for reading and meditation. You should not skip it. Obviously, scripture is tremendously more powerful than what Tripp has said. But he does have a way of making a point that applies the verses to how we live each day. You will see your failures to live a life worthy of your calling, and you will want to confess and repent. That’s exactly how it should be.
In his introduction, Tripp tells us that this book is “a call for you and me to remember. It’s a call to remember the horrible disaster of sin. It’s a call to remember Jesus, who stood in our place. It’s a call to remember the righteousness that is his gift. It’s a call to remember the transforming power of the grace you and I couldn’t have earned. It’s a call to remember the destiny that is guaranteed to all of God’s blood-purchased children. It’s a call to remember his sovereignty and his glory. It’s a call to remember that remembering is a spiritual war; even for this we need grace.”
It will only take a few minutes to read the words that Tripp has written. The real value comes as you spend your time in the Word, and then perhaps go back over what he wrote. And because the theme of the book is the gospel, you are continually reminded of what God has done for you in Christ. We need to review the gospel as much as possible. This devotional will help you do just that. This book is a great way to remember each day what God has done for me. It’s a great way to worship. It’s a great way to be challenged with how my life should be changing because of His never-ending mercies. It’s a great way for me to start my day!