Here is a collection of quotes from books I am reading:

“As George Smeaton so helpfully wrote, “We have but one public representative, corporate act performed by the Son of God, in which we share as truly as if we had accomplished that atonement ourselves.” So, as Dr. Smeaton again wrote, “Thus we may either say, Christ died for us; or say, we died in Him. We may equally affirm He was crucified for us, or we were co-crucified with Him.” The latter expression is in fact what Paul essentially said when he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20)” (Discipline of Grace, 68)

“It is easy to consent to the primacy of love and yet so difficult to practice it. Some years ago, in an effort to help me put “shoe leather” to the concept of love, I stated a couple of verses from the great love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, as action statements. As you read over these action statements from verses 4 and 5, ask yourself how you are doing in your day-to-day practice of love. Is there any room for self-righteousness in the light of this practical standard of love?

• I am patient with you because I love you and want to forgive you.

• I am kind to you because I love you and want to help you.

• I do not envy your possessions or your gifts because I love you and want you to have the best.

• I do not boast about my attainments because I love you and want to hear about yours.

• I am not proud because I love you and want to esteem you before myself.

• I am not rude because I love you and care about your feelings.

• I am not self-seeking because I love you and want to meet your needs.

• I am not easily angered by you because I love you and want to overlook your offenses.

• I do not keep a record of your wrongs because I love you, and “love covers a multitude of sins.”

(Bridges, The Discipline of Grace, 39)

“Apoet is a man who is glad of something, and tries to make other people glad of it, too.” (George MacDonald quoted in Peterson, Adorning the Dark)