The Joy of the Lord

I wish I would have had my video camera at church today! Our little girl absolutely loves worship music and just goes crazy during our worship at church. Today, as we sang of God's faithfulness, she began to dance and lift her hands. It was almost as though as it was just natural for her to worship and praise her King even though she is not even a year old yet.

As I watched her, I began to think about how much it must bless the heart of God to see a child worshipping Him without any hesitation. She wasn't worried about those around us. She didn't care what anyone thought. She was just having a good time experiencing the joy of the Lord!

How often do we, as adults, experience the joy of the Lord? How often do we allow Him to lavish us with His love?

Today's society is certainly not one in which joy is easily found. It is difficult to watch the news at night and feel joyful. However, because of the life that we have been given in Jesus, we can have joy.

Webster's Dictionary defines joy as "the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires."

Why should we, as Christians, be lacking that emotion? Jesus has given us all that we have ever needed. If He is truly all that we desire, we should be extremely joyful and content with the lives that we have been given.

However, day after day, we allow people and situations to steal that joy that we have been given. We allow the enemy to convince us that joy is not something that is everlasting. We allow our joy to be taken away, when in reality, if our joy is in our Savior, it can never be stolen. He has given us a joy that even surpasses the definition of well-being, success, or good fortune.

Habakkuk 3:17 -18 says, "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be JOYFUL in God my Savior."

In other words, it doesn't matter how bad things get or how terrible things may seem, we can rejoice in knowing that the Lord our God is our joy!

Psalm 92:4 says, "For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for JOY at the works of your hands."

Do you sing for joy at the works of the Lord? Do you give Him the glory that He deserves for what He has done in your life? Or do you blame Him for the negative things that you have experienced?

I want to encourage you to spend this week being joyful. Don't allow others to steal your joy. Remember, in Jesus our joy is eternal. Our Father has given us more than we could ever imagine in sending His son. Allow Him to be your joy. Ask God to give you a joyful heart and watch as He breaks down the walls of bitterness and becomes your joy and delight!

Some Things to Think About:

1. What does JOY mean to you?
2. Do you allow your circumstances to steal your joy?
3. Do you believe that the joy of the Lord can overcome your circumstances?
4. Have you allowed Satan to convince you that joy is not possible in today's world?

Words of Worth:

"For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands." Psalm 92:4

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be JOYFUL in God my Savior." Habakkuk 3:17-18

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." Psalm 5:11