Sighs…
You do know it don’t you?
You are the joy set before Him, set before Jesus, set before your Savior, set before the lover of your soul.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him…” (Hebrews 12:2a NIV)
Sigh.
Shouldn’t it be someone who has accomplished much? Someone who has sacrificed their well being for another? Someone who models humility? Someone…’more than’ me.
Praise God the joy Jesus finds in calling us His own isn’t based on our do’s or our haven’ts. Solely based on our ‘Yes’.
The writer of this sweet verse tells us first to fix our eyes. Meaning our hearts, our mindset, our aim, our reasoning, our all – on Jesus. Because, get this, even our faith is not our own it comes from the Author and Perfector. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)
Exhale.
He wrote on His hands, through nail scars, our names. He writes our story, and in His book there is a heart beside our name and our eternity.
Hebrews 12:2 finishes with “endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Done, sat down, finished. With His yes to the cross and my yes to Him, the undeserved gift is given, accepted, and I have no more do’s to do or have to’s to live up to.
Because Ephesians 2:9 leads right into 10 without hesitation reminding me “not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Surrender.
I am joy – you are joy. Is this a license to live as those who don’t know Him? Not a chance – for joy is mine and freedom is mine when I am living for Him. Self condemns, self imprisons – and all we see in the world is the filling of self – and the results haven’t been pretty. But in the midst of this world, good and bad, freedom comes in whispers to our soul – ‘You are my joy’, ‘You are free’, ‘I am writing your story.’
Now that leads to one contented soul sigh.
parisrenae 
Ahhhh, thanks for that filling-up of peace, Paris. Beautiful post. 🙂
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Hmmm, He did say ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you’, didn’t He? And that is just what He has done. Blessings in the peace of knowing you are His joy…
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