A Soul Full of Joy

Somedays when I come home from work, the call of the pond is stronger than others; today was one of those days. God had not pointed me in any particular direction for today’s devotion, but He led me to the pond nonetheless. I scanned the bank for movement and saw none, studied the sky for unusual clouds but there was only gray skies. I listened for birds calling, frogs croaking or peepers peeping, I heard nothing. I will admit I was a little disappointed. Then my eyes rested on the long cold fire pit and the chairs that circled it. That sight brought a smile to my lips and a wonderful memory of family time well spent. So, even though the things I’d gone in search of were not there today, when my eyes fell on the fire pit I was moved to joy. Oh, how this reminded me that sometimes I look for the wrong things for inspiration, motivation and happiness. None of these things can the wildlife, the sky or nature sounds provide in and of themselves. We must look to Jesus for our joy.

David writes in Psalms 43:4, “Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.” David recognized where his joy came from.

Jesus wants us to have His joy. Let’s look at John 15:11, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” Man’s idea of joy is to be as happy as he can be leaving God out of his life. The Lord taught that real joy comes by taking God into one’s life as much as possible.* Even in our trials we should be joyful because, if you are a child of the King, regardless of the situation you still have Him in your heart. Isaiah paints a beautiful picture in 35:10, “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

Can you, like Habakkuk, say, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation”(3:18)? I think a fine way to close this lesson today is with the quote by Sidlow Baxter describing this verse. The literal is “I will jump for joy in the Lord; I will spin around for delight in God.” Here is the hilarity of faith!—joy at its best with circumstances at their worst! What a victory! May it be ours!

May we as children of the King jump and spin in never-ending joy!

(The Pond -2016)

*Believer’s Bible Commentary