I am happy right now because I found out today that my third book will be my first to keep the original title I gave it. (Long-time readers may remember that Your Jesus is Too Safe was originally titled The Unvarnished Jesus and that Abide was titled God vs. Suburbia.

Publishers tend to know better than authors about what titles catch the eyes of bookstore browsers, though, or what appeals more to target audiences, so they tend to like to change them during the editing/publishing process. But Crossway's editorial team informed my agent today that "Gospel Wakefulness" sums up my book's contents strongly, and they believe it is 'catchy' enough. In just-as-cool news, it is scheduled for release on Reformation Day (Oct. 31) next year.

You can read an excerpt from my ms. after the jump...

When we repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are reconciled to God through the work of Christ and thereby become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Life is different. We have moved from a worldly pattern of life to the kingdom’s pattern. The climate is different; the culture is different. We are adapted to our new life in a new land by he who has made us citizens. What we often find, however, are brothers and sisters who live as though living as a citizen is what acquired citizenship for them. It is like the Israelites thinking they were delivered from Egypt because they obeyed the Ten Commandments, even though the Ten Commandments were not delivered to them until after their deliverance from Egypt.

We live this way every time we treat the Spiritual disciplines as homework rather than rhythms, as religious initiative rather than graceful response. I am reminded of the telling exchange in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, where Miss Bingley asks Mr. Bingley, “Would not conversation be much more rational than dancing?” to which Mr. Bingley replies, “Much more rational. But much less like a ball.”

We can become OCD about the work of obedience to our neuroses’ content, but the kingdom rhythms are a result of our Spiritual identity, not our spiritual aspirations. We don’t obey to be free; we obey because we are free. It’s just what we do.

In Proverbs 22:17 we read the admonition to “apply your heart to my knowledge.” This theme is repeated over and over in the Scriptures.

Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.
(Exodus 7:23)
Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. (Deuteronomy 4:9)
[K]now therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath . . . (Deuteronomy 4:39)
You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. (Deuteronomy 11:18)
So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart. (Isaiah 42:25)
If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. (Malachi 2:2)
"Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." (Matthew 9:2)
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34)
"Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." (Matthew 14:27)
"Take heart. Get up; he is calling you." (Mark 10:49)
“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good . . . ” (Luke 6:45)
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:3)
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . . (Colossians 3:15)

The Bible is unapologetic about its lots and lots of heart talk. This is irrational. But it is much more like a ball.

The Christian not wowed in gospel wakefulness may move like the frightened victim in an old Western, shuffling his feet frantically as the law, demanding he “Dance!”, fires its six-shooter at his toes. There is compliance but no heart, no rhythm. But the gospel-wakened Christian dances because he’s at the ball. He hears the music of the gospel and cannot help but dance!