They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness & joy will overtake them
sorrow & sighing will flee away.

I, even I, am He who comforts you

Isa. 51:11–12

No matter what else is going on in our lives, we choose to remember that we’ve already been

ransomed,
rescued,
redeemed.

We were bought out of sin,
We are no longer under condemnation,
Death has lost its sting;
We’ve now have Your eternal embrace

All captivities—the ones we’ve generated,
and those brought on us by others—
all of them are broken in Jesus.

No imprisonment,
No bondage,
No chains will keep us from arriving safely Home.
They all have expiration dates.

Because you have hidden our lives in Jesus,
we live in the eternal year of your favor.

Though we’ll enjoy this freedom more fully in heaven,
we are legally free as we will ever be—
for Jesus’ redemptive work on our behalf is finished & complete.

Our loved ones in heaven are certainly
more joyful & whole than us,
but they’re not more secure & loved.

Being “crowned with everlasting joy”—
what’s that going to be like?

What will it sound like when our voice blends
in with the entire family of God,
as we enter the New Jerusalem together?

We know what it feels like to be overtaken by guilt & shame,
but what will it be like to be overtaken by gladness & joy?

Our present standing in grace will lead to eternal dancing in grace—
even for we non-dancers.

We await the Day when all sorrow & sighing will flee away,
vanquished by the arrival of our true King.

Thank you for being the Father of compassion & the God of all comfort right now.

Forgive us for bypassing you & seeking our comfort elsewhere.

Your name Jesus’ is tender & Your triumphant name.

Scotty Smith