Tidbits for Thought

JOY IN SALVATION

Acts 8:39 “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Phillip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.” (Emphasis mine)

“We may sing beforehand, even in our winter storm, in the expectation of a summer sun at the turn of the year; no created powers can mar our Lord Jesus’ music, nor spill our song of joy. Let us then be glad and rejoice in the salvation of our Lord; for faith had never had cause to have wet cheeks and hanging- down brows.” Samuel Rutherford

That particular quote from the sixteenth century is a reiteration of the fact that a joyless Christian is a contradiction in terms. How can any individual come face to face with a loving God in the waters of baptism and not have joy in their life? How can any individual, knowing that he or she is assured a place in eternity in the presence of a loving God, have anything but joy in their heart…. the joy that comes from knowing God loves them unconditionally?  I am not talking momentary and fleeting happiness here but a deep abiding joy that can be felt throughout both the physical and spiritual body and is best expressed in deep, deep never-ending gratitude.

Can you remember the first flush of joy that you felt when you emerged from the waters of baptism? Can you still remember that incredible feeling of completion that comes from the experience of being fully accepted into the family of believers who are called Christians? In the jot and tittle and minutia of today, can you still feel joy in the fact that your past is forgiven, your present is given meaning and your future is assured?

When we emerge from the cleansing waters of baptism, nothing really changes on the outside. The everyday challenges of providing food, clothing and shelter continue unabated. Grief over the loss of loved ones does not magically disappear. Long- term illness of ourselves or loved ones goes on and on and on. Addictions, depression and mental challenges can still exist in our physical world. The world we live in is still in the grips of a never-ending cycle of hate, bigotry and separation. The future of our country, as we know it, still seems to be in dire jeopardy.

However, in the midst of the challenges of living in a fallen world, the assurance of Salvation given to us by the Lord, overrides all of these hourly and daily distractions and allows us to live freely and look past the ugliness of the world. It allows us to replace fear with courage….it allows us to replace hate with love….it allows us to replace bigotry with acceptance…it allows us to replace indifference with compassion…. it allows us to lovingly share our experience, strength and hope with fellow travelers in the world…. it allows us to reach out fearlessly to others with a hand of kindness….it allows us to revel in the wonderful emotion of gratitude.

It allows us to freely love our Lord, just as He loves us! Think about it!      ~ Aron Smith