26 Mar 2007 - Isaiah 61:10

Monday, March 26, 2007

Heavenly Father, I thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to bring
insight into Your Word and to reveal Jesus to us. Please open my heart
and mind to understand and to be transformed by Your Word today. Amen.

Scripture for today: Isaiah 61:10

What do you see? In what are we to rejoice? What does rejoicing mean to
you and how do you rejoice? Are you confident that you are wrapped in
Jesus’ garment of salvation and righteousness? If not, you can be. Read on!

Life happens. Sometimes life can be great and sometimes it makes you
feel like you’ve been slimed with filth. Sometimes our choices cover us
with guilt and shame. We try to hide behind masks that cover who we
really are from those around us. The prophet Isaiah tells us that God
can replace those old things and cover, wrap, clothe us in the salvation
and righteousness of God.
“Righteousness” has to do with rightness, decency, virtue, justice and
with prosperity. “Salvation” is an awesome word too. God Himself
purchased our salvation through the death of His only Son, Jesus Christ,
who both died and was raised alive again to provide salvation for every
person who will receive it. Everything we have ever done wrong is
removed from us and all of that filth, slime, guilt and shame are
totally and completely washed away from us, but it does not stop there!
When our loving Heavenly Father covers and wraps us in salvation, He
takes us out of the confinement of captivity and places us in a wide,
open, free place that is safe. Salvation means that we can be delivered,
set free from those things that have kept us bound and trapped. It means
that Jesus rescues, preserves and provides for us so that we can live
life in freedom and victory.
No wonder this verse tells us to rejoice—to have great joy, to spin
around with great emotion, to be refreshed and to laugh. The picture of
a bride and groom dressing for their wedding helps us to picture the
kind of celebration with laughing, dancing and deep contentment that we
can experience in response to being covered in salvation in Jesus. Ask
Him to exchange the old things that have covered you in the past for the
life, freedom, safety and great joy of His salvation.

Jesus, I want to exchange all of that slime, filth, shame and guilt with
which I have been covered in the past for Your robe of righteousness,
for Your covering of salvation. I want the life, freedom, deliverance,
and victory that You have provided for me. Release your joy, refreshing,
and laughter in my life. Teach me to enjoy Your salvation.

Pastor Leslyn Musch, Lighthouse Regional Church