Daily Devotional

Why does this thrill me?  Because salvation is not a mere transaction, or a legal document.  It is not a spiritual business deal.  All these are impersonal descriptions of something the law might recognize.  The last time I took a mortgage on a house, my treasured document and expected relationship with them was sold to someone else with 24 hours from when it became legal! What a shock!

No.  We did not enter into some heavenly legal arrangement, by which we might say, “God just better honor it!”  What did happen?  Well, there is no salvation outside of Jesus Himself.  We get Him, we get everything.  Or we get nothing.  I am thrilled because I know and claim Him.  And He claims me.  “My beloved is mine, and I am his!” Song 2:16.  It is like a marriage, except it is eternal. It cannot be dissolved.  Ever.

One of the truths of our salvation follows.
 
"Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation." - Isaiah 12:3

Why is this so exciting?  It is so because it seems to indicate the continuously flowing, changing and developing nature of our union with Christ.  It is like money in the bank, always earning interest (at least it used to!).  It is like a garden, growing flowers and bearing fruit!  It is not static.  It is alive!  Thus is the eternal, life-flowing connection between us as believers and Jesus.

What is the result of this life-giving meadow we live in, this spring we always drink from?

And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.” Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

It does not command us to do things.  That is just law.  As natural as flowers and fruit will be our giving of thanks   Everywhere making known our life and love and light source, who is Jesus.  We will exalt Him.  We will sing.  We will tell of the excellent things He has done.  We might even cry aloud, or shout for joy!

What is it that causes such private and public elation?  Great in our midst is the Holy One of Israel!  We are not just friends, or legally bound, or related, we are in Jesus, Jesus is in us!  We are insiders to all His glory, both created and inherent.

How do we think about all this?  We don’t have to go anywhere to intersect with Him.  He is in our midst when we awake.  When we walk.  When we work.  When we relax.  When we eat. Even when we sleep.
 
Behold, Jesus is our salvation!
 
We joyously draw from the springs of salvation!
 
Great in our midst is the Holy One of Israel!

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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