Week One | Joy of Salvation
Have you ever really wanted a gift before? Maybe it was for a birthday, Mother’s day, an anniversary, or for the season we are currently celebrating, Christmas. Have you ever wanted the gift so bad that it is all you seem to talk about? It somehow makes its way into every conversation and environment you find yourself in? You aren’t trying to be obnoxious, you just genuinely desire your gift that badly.
Well, my oldest son has found himself in this conundrum. He desperately wants a particular superhero toy from the Marvel Cinematic universe. He has talked about this toy for 3 months straight and has every day for the past 2 months asked us how many days there are until Christmas, in hopes that he will on that momentous day unwrap that special toy he has been longing for.
He doesn’t know this, but his aunt bought him the toy. We are all so excited to present him with this gift, we know on that day he is going to unwrap his gift, scream with excitement, jump on the couch, and proceed to play with this toy for hours on end. All other gifts will pale in comparison, and he will be occupied and satisfied for days. But… I know that joy will run out. I know my son, and I know the novelty of the toy will run out and the toy he once saw as special and as the greatest gift ever, will soon become common, it will soon become white noise. It will, most likely, have very little impact on his day to day living.
Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever wanted something really bad, you receive it, then after a while you lose the joy of having that gift? Maybe it’s a relationship you wanted, a job, or to start a family. After a while, you no longer view it as a gift, you may even view it as a burden. I wonder, have you ever found yourself here with your relationship with Jesus? You so badly wanted healing, and forgiveness, restoration, and you actually received it. Yet it was only a little while later that you realized you’ve lost the joy of being saved, you’ve lost the joy of being healed, you’ve lost the joy of being redeemed.
If that’s you, no need to feel shame, or guilt, or condemnation. King David also had this experience. He was known as a man after God’s own heart, but even he after a while got comfortable and complacent, even he forgot how much of a joy it was and is to be saved and loved by God. This led him to one of the most grievous sins of the Bible, his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband to cover up his tracks. The prophet Nathan confronted David, he repented and prayed this prayer: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
This is the same prayer I offer to you. In this season of reflecting on the birth of Jesus, the gift of salvation being brought into the world, the embodiment of Love being born in flesh; may it remind you to never grow cold towards his gift, may it challenge you to remain grateful and full of joy in your relationship with Jesus. And if you find that joy beginning to fade, as it does from time to time, I invite you to pray along with David: “Jesus, restore in me, the joy of your salvation, restore in me the joy of knowing you and being known by you, of loving you, and being loved by you.” – Aaron D. Judkins