I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God!  For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness—May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light. 

Christ has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body.  As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.  But you must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly—Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit—How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ! 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Isaiah 61:10 NLT; Col.1:12 NLT; Col. 1:22,23 NLT; Rom.5:2 NLT; Ps.32:1-2 ESV; Eph.1:3 NLT; Phil.4:4 NIV

I’m preaching to my own soul today.  It’s so easily fixated on lesser things than rejoicing in this great salvation in which I stand.  There are so many other things with which to be overwhelmed! Solving the puzzle of who I am and what I’m meant to do on this planet today can eclipse rejoicing in the One who has paved the way for my good works to even be possible!  He is the Sun around which I am meant to revolve. He is the light of the world. To Him I lift up my soul, rejoicing!

–LS