The ransomed of the Lord will return. 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. “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Isaiah 51:11-12
Gracious Jesus, what a glorious way to begin our day—standing under the cascading waterfall of your refreshing grace. The huge promises in this small portion of your Word are simply exhilarating. Open our hearts to receive from you this morning. Before anything else lays claim to my imagination and thoughts, I choose to remember the story into which you have mercifully written us.
Jesus, I humbly own my place among the “ransomed of the Lord”—the pan-national family you are redeeming for your pleasure and delight. Bought out of sin and death, brought into your deep affection and eternal embrace—there’s no greater life or inheritance imaginable. It feels so good no longer to be my own. I am yours, and you love me because you love me, and there’s nothing I can do about it!
All captivities—the ones I’ve generated, and those brought upon me by others, all of them are being broken by the power of the gospel. No imprisonment or bondage will keep your Bride from arriving safely home in the New Jerusalem, because you are our Jubilee, Lord Jesus—the eternal year of the Lord’s favor. The saints in heaven are more happy than me, but they aren’t any more secure.
For many years I was overwhelmed with guilt and shame, but in you, Jesus, I’ve been pursued, caught and overtaken by gladness and joy—for you are gladness and joy incarnate. I didn’t see it coming. Why did I run from you for so long? Only my foolishness and unbelief still tempt me to hide. There’s no way I could have imagined what being captured by you would mean—the end of all condemnation and a coronation of everlasting joy. Hallelujah, what a salvation! Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Jesus, hasten the blessed Day when all sorrow and sighing will flee away forever—the Day when the first fruits of our joy will give way to the fullness. Until then, you are all the comfort we need. Forgive us when we look to anyone or anything else for the consolation you alone can give. So very Amen, we pray, in your tender and tenacious name.