"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (ESV, Galatians 2:20).
This past week, I had the privilege of serving on a camp staff with others from my church. What a joy it was to see God's Creation, minister to youth, and learn more about Him! The preaching and the conversations that followed were full of hope and truth. One young lady specifically was on my heart – she was saved during this very week! Her joy in salvation, her hunger for the Word, and her child-like fascination with anything and everything about God made me wonder. For believers who have been walking with God for a long time, where did our happiness, our joy; our awe about God go?
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Humanity loves two opposites: what's new and what's routine.
When we receive something new or go somewhere unknown, our excitement soars. There's a great feeling that comes with receiving a gift, trying a new food, or hitting the road to see downtown. After a while, routine settles in. We use the gift often, we visit the restaurant frequently, or we memorize street names and sign faces. We become comfortable with what we know until routine becomes mundane, and all we desire is the next new thing.
I believe this also happens in our walk with the Lord.
Salvation is one of the most joyous and precious moments in life. Upon salvation, you are suddenly overflowing with the Holy Spirit and the Gospel is finally crystal clear. Jesus' death on the cross has covered you, thus you joy is boundless! Soon, that joy changes. You settle into a church and a Bible reading schedule. You learn what believers do and should not do. You pray, on occasion, and evangelism becomes an occasional prick of your subconscious. Now, your faith is a routine.
And the Christianity of routine is joyless.
Has your walk become a routine, believer? Do you have joy? If not, why not?
Titus 3:3-7 says that God saved us by His own mercy, washing us clean through His Son and giving us the hope of eternal life.
Ephesians 2:4-7 reminds us that God loved us when we were dead and full of sin, making us alive just so He could give us immeasurable riches.
Psalms 121:1-2 declares that the Lord who made all Creation actually helps us.
In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus expounds on this help, reassuring us that God will surely preserve, provide for, and strengthen His people to the point where anxiety and fear are worthless.
Isaiah 53:1-12 is a vivid picture of Jesus' humility in coming to earth in human flesh just to die for those who hated him in their sin! And two chapters later, in Isaiah 56, this same God offers the everlasting, perfectly faithful covenant of salvation to the same people he bore the wrath of God for!
Do you have joy now? Believer, you have every reason to dance and sing; every reason to praise the Lord!
You were dead. Not breathing; unable to lift a finger towards saving your own life. You were on a one way trip to hell and with every move, every thought, the vehicle of your sin moved faster and faster towards God's wrath. Even at conception you were depraved, qualified only for fire and destruction. And while you began your life in sin, spitting at God with every selfish motive, every lustful desire, every eye roll, and every judgement cast upon others in your pride, as if you were any less than a sinner against God, God held the breath in your lungs and gave you the mere mercy of living, even in utter and total rejection of Him. And He didn't bear your hatred against Him for a moment – He bore it for years.
Perhaps He bears it even now.
And with every odd against you, with God possessing every perfectly just reason to fulfill His wrath eternally on your soul, He said,
"No. I'm going to adopt you."
And in a moment which made angels hold their breath in anticipation,
God redeemed your soul.
He gave you the garment of His righteousness with one hand and declared His own Son as the bearer of your eternal death with the other hand.
Believer, Oh believer, why on earth do these joyous truths become routine to us?
We have been given God and His presence for eternity, and yet we allow ourselves to forget the glorious reality which is the salvation of our own souls.
We live in a world of sin and heartache; it's true. But remember the steadfast and unchanging Love of God! Find joy again in Christ!
May God speak through these words.
With love and prayers,
Sarah Matherly
(Scripture references paraphrased from the ESV version of the Bible on the YouVersion Bible App)
