LOOKING FOR EXCITEMENT?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
(Habakkuk 3:18)

MEDITATION
When is the last time you were really excited about something?
Was it a gift you received? Was it reconnecting with someone
you haven’t seen for a long time. Was it the birth of a baby?
Or, maybe it was watching your favorite team win a game, or
your favorite player making a great play.

There’s just something exhilarating about getting excited, isn’t it?
For a brief amount of time, our worries and concerns are suspended
as we enjoy the moment. Getting excited can bring us a kind of joy
that will smother the things that steal our joy. Wouldn’t it be great
if we could be excited all the time?

But, where on earth can we find continual excitement and joy?
The scriptures explain to us that we can be excited and rejoice
in the Lord, our Savior! Think about the magnitude of what we
are told – we can find joy in Jesus! Look at these two scriptures;
they are not suggestions, they are instructions:
    But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
    may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”
    (Psalm 70:4)

    Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
    (Philippians 4:4)

So, how can we find this excitement and joy in the Lord? It’s
a matter of choice. We must choose to make Him a part of the
everyday life we live. He needs to be our primary focus.

When we think about what Jesus did on the cross for us, it
should be our daily reminder that we are loved by Him, and
we know He can fill us with joy and thanksgiving.

Focusing on Jesus doesn’t mean that friends and family are not
important. It means we start our day loving the Lord, and then
we encompass our family and friends as we rejoice in Him. This
is one way we can become His witnesses: our excitement and joy
in Him can overflow to those around us.

Pause for a moment and think about what Jesus did for you on the
cross. When you read about the sacrifice He made for you, think
about the depth and breadth of His love for all, and especially for
you. Knowing you are loved that much creates a feeling of joy and
rejoicing, doesn’t it? It should!

The Savior of the Universe thinks you are important enough to be
saved from an eternity of pain and suffering. Whenever we include
Him in our day, and we think about His love for us, it should create
an excitement in each of us that is so strong and full that it will burst
out for all to see.

Others should enjoy being around believers. We have not been
called by God to be a part of His ministry so we will have a heart
that is condescending toward others (and especially the lost). Our
mission is to show others how much we love and enjoy Jesus, and
to allow His love to flow through us.

We also have a responsibility to show others how much we love
God as our Heavenly Father and how His love influences all we
say and do. Everything we do should be guided by a heart of love
for Jesus, and our Heavenly Father.

Our joy should stimulate the interest of others in a way that will
cause them to have a desire to experience the same excitement
and joy that we feel. When others see the sincerity of our faith,
and they sense the Lord’s presence is in our lives, we could be
pointing them toward Jesus. He, and not us, is the One that can
change their hearts in the same way He has changed ours.

We aren’t tasked with dragging others to the Lord; we are told we
should love them toward Him. Doesn’t that imply that we should
not be trying to create a guilt trip for them, or be condescending
of them? We are to simply let His love for us, and our love for Him
to be obvious for all to see and leave ‘convicting’ to the Lord.

As Christians, we ought to be happy people! Why? Because we have
an appreciation for the magnitude of the love Jesus showed us when
He went to the cross to pay the debt for our sins. We know He didn’t
have to be crucified, but He chose to die for us. Why? Because He has
a great love for us (and because of His great love of God, He chose to
obey Him as well)!

The world can claim that Christianity is an institution, but there is no
convincing argument against a person who has been made Christ-like
through the Spirit of God. When God is the light of our life, others will
notice. Conversely, they will also notice when we claim He is Lord, but
our lives (what we do and say) don’t reflect that He really is our Lord.

ACTION:
Are you experiencing joy in the Lord? If not, why not? Does it excite
you to spend time with Him each day? Is He the first one you turn to
when you need guidance, support, and encouragement? Do you read
His Word often and stay in touch with Him daily through prayer?

When you attend church on Sundays, are you excited to be spending time
with Him in His house, or are you more concerned with the things within
the church (music selections, attitude of others, order of service, sermon
presentation style, parking availability, climate control, comfortable seats,
how others are dressed, the knowledge and attitude of others toward God,
the spiritual status of other believers. etc.)?

A devotional life more than daily readings and prayers; it’s also about having
a tender heart and a listening spirit. It is lived out in small acts of kindness, in
quiet strength, and in the pursuit of peace. As we walk through our days, we
need to look for opportunities to express love and hope.

The path of devotion is not always easy, but it is rich with meaning. Each
morning brings a new opportunity us to begin again, to choose gratitude,
and to open ourselves to grace. Whether we’re standing on a mountaintop
or walking through a valley, we need to remember that we are deeply loved
by our Creator, and His Son, Jesus.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, when I think about You, my worries are
softened and my excitement is stirred. I am overwhelmed
when I think of Your love for me and how Your Son suffered
a painful death to open the door for me to have fellowship with
You daily. Forgive me for not fully appreciating the joy of the
salvation You have given me. I pray that my life will be a good
reflection of my faith and that it will point others to Your Son,
Jesus. Replace any criticisms I have with excitement and joy of
knowing You, and Your presence in my life. Forgive me for the
mistakes in my life when I have sinned against You. Fill me
with the strength I need to overcome sin and its influence on
me. I sincerely love You and want to fully experience the joy
of the salvation You have given me!”

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