Rejoicing Always...Even After Christmas

Christmas is now past...ornaments are put away, lights (half of the string didn't work...but nobody new unless they looked at the back of our tree. :) )  have been thrown away, and all the boxes from the different presents have been burned (in the burn pile...that's what we do out in the sticks) as well as our beautiful tree.   Even though December 25th is past and the excitement of the special day is past we as Christians have so much to look forward to.  

I can rejoice in the fact that I have a Savior who has taken upon Himself every drop of God's wrath that justly should have been poured out on me. I can rejoice about this:

 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us, we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

As I mentioned in a previous post, (Depths and Riches of the Gospel), I didn't realize for the longest time that I don't just have a "clean slate" but I have Christ's righteousness imputed to me! In other words, I have ALL the righteousness I will ever need in order to be part of God's kingdom. Wow! This then motivates me to do good works! Not because I am trying to be "good enough", but because I love the One who saved me from eternal punishment AND gave me HIS righteousness. What hope and joy I can always experience! I am no longer guilty for my sins...I am  no longer a slave to sin but a slave of righteousness, no longer an enemy of God but a citizen of Heaven,  now that's something to always be rejoicing about...all throughout the year.