BIBLE PASSAGE:
I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habakkuk 3:18)
MEDITATION:
We can find many ways to rejoice, can’t we?
We rejoice at the birth of a baby.
We rejoice when two people in love get married.
We rejoice when our team wins a ball game.
We rejoice at graduations.
We rejoice when someone receives salvation.
But do we rejoice in the Lord?
Do we find joy in the One who has given us His salvation?
Do we rejoice in Jesus, who went to the cross for our sins?
Christians are supposed to be happy people! Many people
can use Christian terminology, but at the same time are
remiss in practicing Christ’s principles and teachings.
What the world needs is not more Christianity,
but more sincere Christians.
The world can argue against Christianity as an institution,
but there is no convincing argument against a person who
has been made Christ-like through the Spirit of God.
A person with the true Spirit of God in their lives can rebuke
selfishness, materialism, and justifications for personal actions
that are in opposition to God’s principles.
Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never
thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in
them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
(John 4:13-14)
That sin-sick, disillusioned woman
was an example of the whole human race.
Her longings were our longings!
Her heart cry was our heart cry!
Her disillusionment was our disillusionment!
Her sin was our sin!
But her Savior can be our Savior!
Her forgiveness can be our forgiveness!
Her joy can be our joy!
ACTION:
What is your relationship with the Lord like – I mean REALLY like?
Do you rejoice at the thought of spending time with Him?
Do you find joy in reading His Word, worshipping with
others, talking to Him in prayer, and singing praises to Him?
Paul tells us to,
“Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!”
(Philippians 4:4)
Or, have you allowed other things to steal your joy and peace?
Do you find yourself justifying actions (or inactions) that are
contrary to His Will? God delights in those who obey Him,
and He wants us to delight in Him.
If God created us in His likeness, then it makes sense that if
He delights in us, we should want to delight in Him, right?
This is the written account of Adam’s family line.
When God created mankind, he made them in the
likeness of God. (Genesis 5:1)
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
(Psalm 148:5)
We benefit from a delightful relationship and fellowship with the Lord.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me. (1 Samuel 22:20)
Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty
and will lift up your face to God. (Job 22:26)
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” (Psalm 22:8)
Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands. (Psalm 112:1)
Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
(Psalm 119:24)
Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight. (Psalm 119:35)
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight. (Psalm 119:77)
If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
(Psalm 119:92)
Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands give me delight.
(Psalm 119:143)
I long for your salvation, Lord,
and your law gives me delight.
(Psalm 119:174)
For the Lord takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory. (Psalm 149:4)
A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,
but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
(Proverbs 10:23)
The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,
but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
(Proverbs 11:20)
The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights
in people who are trustworthy. (Proverbs 12:22)
My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes delight in my ways,
(Proverbs 23:26)
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen
one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and
arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom
adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself
with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives
the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
(Micah 7:18)
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who
saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will
no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
(Zephaniah 3:17)
Think about it, God created you to fellowship with Him.
Whenever you are not fellowshipping with Him then you
are failing in His plan for you. Not only that, but you are
missing out on finding joy and rejoicing in Him.
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for creating me with a purpose
and giving me joy whenever I fulfill Your purpose for me. I
want to spend more time with You and develop an intimate
relationship with You. I know that my life will be full of joy
when I start to rejoice in You as my Savior! Help me to break
free from the things that are stealing my peace and joy so that
I will become closer to You now, and look forward to spending
an eternity in Your presence. After all, my time on earth is very
short in comparison to eternity, so I should invest more time
with You and less time on the things of the world. Thank You
in advance for how You will change me so that I will delight
in You, my God and my Redeemer!”
BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com
BREAD FOR BELIEVERS 
Discussion
No comments yet.