"Happy Day"

When were you the happiest,

Can you remember when,

And what was it that happened,

That made you happy then?

The moment you got married,

Or saw your new born smile,

Or maybe when the Doc told you,

You will live on awhile.

Life has all those moments,

Both happy times and sad,

That’s why we try to document,

The good times that we’ve had.

I remember horseback moments,

Cowboy times out in the sun,

Some of my best memories,

That have long since been done.

But way back as a youngster,

The time I love the best,

Was when I came to Jesus,

And He did all the rest.

Just a teen-age rebel,

When Jesus came to me,

His Spirit overshadowed,

All that I could see.

I see myself there sitting,

In the quiet by a tree,

And in my mind so clearly,

I saw Him die for me.

The picture was so gruesome,

In fact it broke my heart,

To feel the pain He suffered,

It tore my world apart.

 And then there came the offer,

Of cleansing full and free,

Confessing all that I had done,

He washed me clean, you see.

I then made a surrender,

Of everything I had,

He takes all that we give Him,

And casts out all the bad.

I’ve had my years of trouble,

I’ve failed while trying, too,

I haven’t always done the things,

He wanted me to do.

But I could never doubt it,

That day so long ago,

When Jesus really saved me,

That happy day, I know.

And one that still is coming,

Is when I see His face,

When this life is over,

And I have run my race.

The trials and the troubles,

Though challenging they are,

Cannot steal the promise,

More powerful by far,

By grace through faith it’s settled,

I have the gift He gave,

And that is why my happy day,

Was when Jesus came to save.

“God saved you by His grace when you believed…” (Ephesians 2:8, NLT)

Our salvation is the most important experience of this life or the next. On this side of the grave it gives us abundant life and on that side, life eternal. So what could be more important? I am aware that some cannot pinpoint the day or moment they experienced this. I used to believe that if one could not, they probably had not experienced it. But that is not what the Bible says. Actually I was measuring other people’s experiences by my own. The scriptures teach us that we can know that we are saved without necessarily knowing the moment we crossed over. That’s because many times God deals with people over a period of time and through a process of different experiences. The important thing is to know, beyond doubt, that this has happened. Paul wrote that we receive salvation by grace through faith. It cannot be earned nor is it deserved, but rather it is offered as a free gift, lest any should boast or take credit for it. God alone does the saving and we do the believing and receiving. From start the finish our salvation depends upon God’s grace and not our performance. What a relief! When we have received this grace, it also transforms our lives and empowers us to live differently. This is what God has planned for each of us. But it can only begin when we receive it by faith. Today could be your happiest day if you do.

Lord, help us to receive Your grace by faith, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, timcox.com. Used by permission. Thanks, and God bless you.