A Happy Man

For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. - Psalms 92:4

    When Paul stood before King Agrippa to defend the Gospel, the first thing he said was, I think myself happy. How is it that one can be happy, when in such circumstances as this man? The Lord had made him glad! God had revealed Christ and his redemptive work to him. Like David and Paul, every true child of God is glad. He rejoices in God, and in Christ, and his work of redemption—By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Rom 5:2). The believer is happy that God is God! Religious men argue and debate over how much power God has, when in truth they deny the power of God. The child of God is glad, yea happy, that God is omnipotent.

    The true Christian is glad that God is sovereign in salvation. The believer is a happy man because Christ has put away his sin forever. What could make a poor sinner happier than knowing that he is no longer condemned before God; that his sin is forgiven? This good news, that no sin can be laid to our charge because God hath made him sin for us, makes a happy heart. The child of God is glad and rejoices in the imputed righteousness of Christ. He is our righteousness! We do not wallow in our filthy rags; we stand in his everlasting, glorious righteousness. All of these spiritual blessings and benefits of his grace makes the believing heart rejoice and joy in our God. But the greatest blessing of all, that makes the heart glad, is our knowledge of Christ in vital union with him in regeneration.

    By his grace and Spirit we experience that blessed fellowship with the Father and Son in the Gospel, and the preaching of it. By faith that he gives, we see Him, we hear his voice, we follow Him, rejoicing in his Word. Though circumstances around us may be unpleasant, though the flesh may suffer, though the outward man perish, the inward man, created in Christ Jesus, is glad and rejoices in the God of his salvation. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Pt 1:8).