Have you ever read Isaiah chapter 35 in the Bible? I was recently reading through it and came across an incredible message in this chapter about rejuvenation, restoration, and reclamation. It speaks of the day when the Lord Jesus Christ will restore our land, perform mighty physical healings, and turn wasteland into lush farm land. No more pain, problems, or even paper cuts.
When I think about His coming, I get the same feeling of anticipation as when I’m waiting on my favorite holiday. I know there will be laughter and lots of good times to be had. The only problem is, when the holiday finally comes I find that it never quite reaches my expectations. But Jesus promises that with His holiday, we can’t even get close to imagining how perfect it will be. This means the feeling of disappointment will not only be far from us, but we’ll be in awe of how incredible it actually is. For the first time, I truly imagined what that day would look like and the best word I could use to describe my feelings of that day was . . . joy.
My joy came from the anticipation that God will wipe away every tear, forever! And the thought that Jesus Christ gave this joy to me as a free gift got me very excited. So excited that I even used a total of six exclamation points coupled with a few “Hallelujahs” and “Praise Hims” to try and capture my sentiments in my prayer journal! Think about it: we have done absolutely nothing to deserve any measure of happiness on our own. But through our gracious Lord Jesus Christ he created the way for us not only to be content for a little while, but to be jubilant for eternity. And He did this because He is a loving and merciful Father, who longs to spend time with us. He chose us. Meditating on this truth is what gives me pure joy.
…They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10
Are you confident that you too will be able to experience this joy? There are only two options of where you’ll spend eternity. If you read chapter 24 of the same book of Isaiah you’ll find that the second option is not only worse, it’s downright scary. If you are unsure of your salvation from the second (horrifying) destination, please don’t delay a moment longer and assure your eternity through Christ Jesus our Lord.
About the Writer:
Natalie is a stay at home mom to a 2 year old and has one on the way. She occasionally works as an emergency room nurse and is studying to become a Nurse Practitioner. She and her husband have been called into the medical mission field and are excited to see what the Lord has in store for their lives.