Rejoicing in Salvation

Out of my Bible fell a small index card with some random verses I had written. I read through the verses wondering at what point I wrote them down and why. None of them seemed related to each other or to a particular event in my life. However, one triggered a memory.

Psalm 35:9 My soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation

I accepted Christ shortly after Steve and I were married. I will never forget the feelings that overtook me once I had turned my life over to Christ. A huge weight seemed to have lifted. Seems odd to some considering I wasn't seemingly carrying around "obvious" sin. Gratitude that can't be put into words filled my heart. Thankful doesn't seem powerful enough.

I remember walking through the lobby of my office building at work and being overwhelmed by the thought that no matter how bad my day was, no matter if the worst thing in the world happened to me, no matter what in the world....I was going to heaven. The worst that this world had to offer was no match for what was waiting for me on the other side of this life. And I remember having this joy inside of me that I had never experienced before simply by understanding this.

When I read Psalm 35:9 this morning, my mind was flooded with the memory of the day I first realized the gift I had been given. I remember once hearing Beth Moore say, "May we never walk into church with our common place shoes on."

Today I pray that I never see my salvation as common. I pray that every day I remember that feeling that I felt when I first realized what salvation really meant. And what it meant to KNOW, really know that I was going to heaven one day. No more wondering IF I was, or hoping I had been good enough. I didn't have to be good enough. God knew I couldn't possibly be, so He offered His son for me.