And Daniel prayed in the lions den. He was placed there for a reason! Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego were thrown into the furnace for a reason. Jesus, The son of God was whipped, humiliated and hung to die on a cross for ME.
I have to be honest. There are many things that bring me joy. From the sound of a loved ones expressing care and concern, the gritty feeling of sand under my feet at a bright blue beach. A warm hug from one of my children. The words, “I love you,” as they flow from the lips of loved ones.
The smell of a fresh baking adventure, the sound of my favorite worship band, and seeing long-lost friends can create moments of intense joy. The truth is, I have mastered the art of finding happiness in everyday external pleasures. Yet, when I first read the words “Delight yourself in The Lord,” I was met with unexpected questions. What does it mean to find delight or extreme excitement as it concerns The Lord?
If I can be honest, for many years, how I viewed The Lord at any given moment was based on my external circumstances. When things were going well, I was thrilled to brag about Him and tell others about His goodness. Yet, when things were more difficult and my expectations weren’t met, I wondered where The Lord was in this situation.
https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_is_aware
Did He not see my peril or care about my struggles? In these moments, when I lost loved ones, when sickness struck my home, when friends were no longer friends, year after year, I made the choice to no longer delight.
https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Everything-Happening-For-A-Reason
After years of choosing to have joy in The Lord, only when He was following my lead. The Lord brought conviction, I realized the error of being a Christian who used God for His blessings but rejected Him when corrections or even trials arose. This is not delighting in The Lord.
Today, my prayer with you is that you find your joy in The Lord. No matter what the situation looks like around you, you make the choice to run to Him. I have found over, and over that when we choose to Love The Lord not for what He can do or is doing in our lives but for the Essence of Who He is, we can’t help but delight in Him. For, He is The One Who gave us breath in our bodies. He is The One Who knows our every thoughts and Who has a plan for our lives. He is The One Who died for us that we may have eternal life. The Lord is a constant, our comfort, and though He is majestic enough to put the stars in the sky, He calls us friends. This, my friend should bring us unspeakable joy. May we delight in God all the days of our lives, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Let’s pray.
Lord, I thank You for Who You are. I praise Your wonderful works. For You are The Creator of all, yet so intimately near. Forgive me for the times that I’ve made You an afterthought. Teach me to come to You with the humility and joy of a child. God, show me the times when I become more excited about worldly pleasures than following Your will. Father, I delight in You. Help me to never forget just how good You are. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
