Do Not Forget the Joy of the Lord
Do not forget the joy of the Lord. Really. It has been given to you as a gift and it is meant to be used. Hence do not forget to take it with you wherever you go. If you tend to forget the joy in the midst of everyday chaos, write down reminders to save your day. Because the joy of the Lord makes your day. Every day and always. So don’t forget the joy of the Lord. It makes all the difference, believe me.
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:8-9, NIV)
Do Not Forget the Joy of the Lord
Some people think the talk about the joy of the Lord is just talking. But it’s not. It’s real and available for all the friends of Jesus. It will never run out, it will never be used up. So do remember to put it in use. Because it is the gift from God for all who believe in Jesus. Helen Keller has said, “Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.” Joy is the holy fire in us. It’s God’s presence in every circumstance. And that’s why we can – by the grace of God – choose to always rejoice.
Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! (Nehemiah 8:10b, NIV)
Yes. When Jesus lives in our hearts, we can choose the joy of the Lord. But we do not choose it if we forget it’s possible. Hence we need reminders to keep on rejoicing. The Bible provides the best reminders, of course. But our friends can do that too. Devotional books and blogs as well. In prayer, we can embrace Jesus and receive our fill of hope, faith, love, and joy. Christian living is simple, we just need to stay close to Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Regularly. That’s how we get the joy of the Lord. So let’s not forget it. It’s heaven on earth, right here with us.
Let us pray:
Gracious God,
Thank you for reminding us of the joy we can only have in you.
Draw us close to you to dance in grace and
be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Empower us for victorious living and
let us share your love with others.
Make us beacons of your light, love, and joy.
Thank you for being always there for us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: Do you always remember the joy of the Lord? What does help you to remember it? Do you dance in it?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you learn to live in the joy of the Lord. It has a life-changing effect on you, I promise.
