Currently, it’s all too easy to allow ourselves to be consumed with negative headlines or rotten media. Not that there is nothing to be concerned with in these times, but we should never allow depressing thoughts to be our constant muse. As the Sabbath draws near again this week, I would like to encourage us all with a few quick thoughts that bring the Christian an immense amount of joy, relief, and gratitude. 

1. Those who have been born again have been redeemed and have been completely justified. No more do we have to feel like we have to look over our shoulder or worry that we have to appease the wrath of God. Christ’s blood has done the work. Refresh your spirit by reading Romans 5:1-11 and 1 Peter 1:18-20. Let this permeate our thoughts instead of the media headlines. 

2. Consider the courage and love Christ had for us when He experienced what it meant to be human and to look certain death in the face and conquer it. Those of us who are reading this have no idea what it must have been like to know you were going to die. And not just to die peacefully in your sleep, but to be ruthlessly murdered. I don’t know if we can ever truly grasp this. Aside from the Gospel, we humans have never known anything but death and separation from God. But for Christ, it was never so. He forsook it all to enter our world and to experience death and separation from God with us.

3. But He did not just die, He rose from the grave victorious over death! Colossians 2:15 puts it this way, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Talk about something to cheer about!

4. We have so much to look forward to! We have not yet been received into the presence of our Creator where our joy and fulfillment will be complete. Revelation 21 and 22 paint a pretty grand picture of what it may be like, but I’m going to assume that there are no words that can describe it. The Psalmist encourages us with these words, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11

We are not forgotten homo sapiens evolving to our next life form with no hope of understanding our role in the cosmos. We are children of the King, whose ransom has been paid! And we are soon to be united with our God. In that knowledge we rejoice.

So let’s enjoy our Sabbath!