GOD, THE GREATEST JOY IN THE UNIVERSE!
Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the path of life; in Your Presence is fullness of joy; at Your right Hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 43:4 “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp, I will praise You, O God, my God.”
Habakkuk 3:17-19 “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength . . .”
Focus: The practical reality of experiencing continual Joy and Delight in GOD, in spite of our circumstances.
There are many things in life that bring us joy, such as; getting married, the birth of a baby, getting a job or a promotion, and moving into a new home. All these things make us excited and happy, as we look forward to the pleasure that we will receive from them. However, in the midst of our joy, circumstances can change. You may get divorced, a loved one may die, you may lose your home, or your job. What does God expect of us, are we still supposed to be joyful???
In the first verse for today, God says that in His Presence there is FULLNESS OF JOY, and PLEASURES FOREVERMORE. The second verse indicates that God is our EXCEEDING JOY. Since God cannot lie, these statements must be true. (Titus 1:2) Our God has Promised that we shall KNOW the TRUTH, and the truth shall make us free. (John 8:32) The greatest Truth, and the greatest Fact, is that God – the God who so Loves us, is ALWAYS with us, in every season of our lives. Since He is our Exceeding Joy, and since He cannot change, our joy can remain even in the midst of painful situations; because all things are possible with God.
God wants us to understand and remember that joy is not just an emotion; Joy is God, Himself. God gave us emotions, and He is continually drawing us to Himself so that our emotions do not draw us away from Him. He, Himself always remains with us, to be all that we will ever need, so that our joy will remain in all situations. God has given us Peace, which will accomplish His Purpose for us in the situation. God says that He is the God of ALL COMFORT; therefore, His Presence with us will provide all the Comfort that we will ever need at any time. (John 14:27, 2 Corinthians 1:2-4)
The third verse for today gives great Encouragement and Hope. It tells us that in the midst of famine and total devastation, we can CHOOSE to REJOICE and have JOY, because God is our Strength. God will strengthen us from within through the activity of Fellowship with Him. The Psalmist David said, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me. . . ” (Psalm 23:4) David testified that God’s Presence and God’s Comfort were greater and more powerful than fear, or sadness. Fear, grief, sadness, and loneliness are all feelings, but God’s Presence and His OVERFLOWING LOVE, are able to keep us from falling into discouragement and despair. Therefore, in the midst of pain and sorrow, God reminds us that He is our ever Present Joy, and He bids us to REJOICE in Him ALWAYS. (Philippians 4:4) God, Himself, has Faithfully Promised, that He will never leave us or forsake us, and He will supply ALL that we will EVER need to see us through EVERY situation. (Hebrews 13:5-6, Philippians 4:13, 19)