May 23, 2022 – Click here to listen
I love to go to rodeos and one of the best in the world is the Calgary Stampede in Calgary Alberta. The last time I attended there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and it was bluebird blue. It was a beautiful, cool, and crisp day without a sign of our hot Floridian humidity. My wife and I had great fun as we watched, barrel racing, bare back bronco riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and finally bull riding.
The bull riding came last and about midway through it the announcer called out the winning numbers for a cash lottery. $75,000 worth of tickets had been sold and the winner would win half the money, and the rodeo would receive the other half. Suddenly the guy sitting next to me started punching his buddy and excitedly gesturing towards his ticket. He had won the lottery!
Others noticed and soon everyone around him was squealing for joy, whistling, and applauding. The applause quickly spread through the crowd at large and finally he stood up and took a bow and excitedly headed for an usher to collect his grand prize.
I was thinking about the sheer joy of this gentleman and the smiling applause being meted out to him for hitting the jackpot and it reminded me of a verse in the Bible about heavenly applause. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repents.” Luke 15:10
Hmmm . . . Can you imagine the joy the inhabitants of heaven including the Lord will exhibit in a heavenly celebration of your salvation? What does it say about the value of a human soul that every angel in heaven would joyfully celebrate over just one sinner who repents? I would suggest that it makes a statement that God’s love for each and every individual soul on this planet is so valuable as to be incalculable.
God and his angels are excited and absolutely delighted about our salvation and we should feel likewise. Today you and I should literally be jumping up and down and grinning from ear to ear in a manner that far exceeds that lucky lottery winner.
We hit the jackpot!
Go through this week knowing that God loves you more than you can imagine. Consider angels innumerable gleefully shouting for sheer joy at the decision you made to follow Jesus and repent. Yes, we have much to be happy about today and every day; Jesus paid a tremendous price for each one of us and we should cherish His mercy and grace and do some joyful rejoicing of our own, beginning right now. Be joyful and happy and put on that smiley face.
Can’t smile today because you have yet to make that decision? Jesus and His glorious angels in heaven are anxiously awaiting your decision at this very moment. They can’t wait to get the celebration started. Join me and billions of others in repenting and following Jesus instead of the world so you too can hit the mother of all lotteries and smile with us; won’t you?
Psalm 68:3
But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.