JOYFUL IN OUR LORD GOD

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD: my soul shall be joyful in my God: for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness." -Isaiah 61:10 [KJV]

It would be surprising to see a malefactor going to execution, singing and rejoicing all the way. But, if, when he came to the fatal place, he should produce the king’s free pardon, with royal promises of being admitted to his presence and appearing at court, in the richest robe of the king’s providing, our wonder would cease. We should own that he really had abundant cause for joy. Come, my fellow-condemned malefactors, though sin has stripped you of your innocent dress of righteous clothing; though you are under the sentence of death, yet behold, here is a pardon for you, the best robe to put upon you, and a sure promise of admission into the king’s presence. 

Read it and rejoice. “Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life” (Romans 5:21.) The God of righteousness clothes us naked sinners with the garments of salvation, and adorns us with the robe of righteousness, which our heavenly Bridegroom wrought out for us. This is the blessing of being married to Christ by faith. This is the joy of faith. This causes joy of soul, and great rejoicing in the Lord our righteousness. 

When all sense of comfort and feelings of joy, in nature are dead, yet, in Jesus our covenant-Head, we have a never-failing source of comfort, and an inexhaustible spring of joy. Faith leaves nature behind, with all its sins and miseries. It looks neither to works, nor worthiness, in self; but considers what Christ is to the soul, and what the soul is in Him, righteous, perfect, and everlastingly righteous. 

O! then joy, great joy, springs up. See the claim of faith, “My God.” Though faith does not cause the Lord to become our God, nor adopt us into His family; yet it claims that peculiar and precious interest in Him, which the word of His grace reveals. The Father draws us by His Spirit, to His Son for righteousness. The Spirit bears witness that we are righteous in His Son. Then faith makes the claim, boasts of it, and glories in it. Then Jesus has our hearts and our hopes. Our affections are placed on Him: our hopes centre in Him. 

Then we find our God in Christ. We call Him my God: Abba, Father. We are at peace with, and joyful in Him. We proclaim our joy in our God. What! clothed with the garments of salvation, which we wrought not! covered with the robe of righteousness, which we spun not, and not be joyful! O believers, be ashamed of your unbelief. It damps your joy: it withholds the glory of your heart. 

 

Rejoice, my soul, in Jesus, 

And walk before Him all thy days: 

When naked, poor, and destitute, 

He fed and cloth’d thee with rich suit.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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