I came across something this past week in Bible study and it was a great encouragement to me so I wanted to share. We were looking over Revelation 7. It was a nice break from the previous chapter to be able to focus on the joy of our salvation. I usually focus on verse nine and feel my heart swell and fight the tears thinking of the glorious sight of people from all tribes, nations and tongues worshiping Him. But this time the focus was on verse ten where the redeemed cry out that salvation belongs to God and to the Lamb. Our study then pointed us to look at 1 Peter 1:10-12 to give us another look at that word, salvation. Here it is in the New Living Translation.

1 Peter 1:10-12
10 This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

I put it in the NLT because of the way it phrases verse 12. I have read and imagined the angles celebrating new believers but never quite pictured them “eagerly watching these things happen”. Reading it this way made me see afresh the joy that is our Salvation. Keeping my eyes fixed on how our just, merciful, loving Father paved a way for us to have eternity to worship Him really helped in giving me a much needed refocus.