Resolved Reflections

So I'm back from Resolved and immediately in the thick of the routine.... not much time to get my bearings, but the Lord is gracious.

Resolved was amazing. Simply amazing. I won't try to provide an in-depth synopsis for each of the messages, because world-renown Christian blogger Tim Challies (whom I got to meet!) did a far better job of summing up each sermon on his blog, www.challies.com. Seriously, it would be profitable to check it out.

I'm very tired, but I'll just try to fire off a few quick observations from my experience at the Conference.
1.) The Lord answers prayer-- I came to this conference with a super busy and hectic schedule, and I knew I was returning to a still super busy and hectic schedule, but I asked the Lord that He would help calm my heart and help me really absorb some truth this weekend, and by His grace, He did.
2.) Fellowship is sweet, but not with everyone in the entire world-- what I mean is this... for so long, I've been the guy who knows everybody. I realized this weekend that it is often quite better to spend time socializing with only a few close friends and then even just yourself and the Lord than with everyone you see that you know. And when it comes to fellowship, when you don't try to be that guy who's always talking to someone but you take advantage of the solitary moments, the Lord brings about the sweetest fellowship, hands down.
3.) John Piper boggles my mind-- I'm not kidding. I've read his books, I've read his blog and internet posts, I've heard his cd's, and I've even watched his dvd's.... but hearing him in person blew me away. I don't believe I have ever witnessed firsthand such a volatile and Christ-exalting combination of intellectualism and passion inside a single human person. His sermon this morning (well, technically, yesterday) on missions might quite possibly have profound ramifications on the direction of my life. His sermon Sunday evening on the Gospel was so profound, I'm going to have to listen to the cd about 5 times just to begin to get it all to sink in.
4.) The Gospel is precious-- I've grown up knowing this, but this weekend, I believed it. This truly is the greatest story ever told. It's not just base on a true story, it is the True Story. The most adequate response I can think of is the chorus of one of the last songs we sang: "How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be: How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me!"
5.) I'm exhausted, so I'm going to bed.