majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him in Psalm 4:7,
"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and
new wine abound."
David speaks of joy in this verse. As he calls out to God in his
distress, verse 1, he finds a great joy in God. He says the joy the
Lord brings him is greater than the joy the "many" in verse 6 have
when they experience abundance in their harvest of grain and wine.
I'm sure the celebration an abundant harvest brought to folks in that
day a joy something akin to what may be the current reaction of a home
town to a World Series win or a Super Bowl win. Maybe a family's
sweepstakes or lottery win. The birth of a child, a marriage or a long
sought-after job obtained. The fortunes of a people in that day were
certainly tied to the success of the annual harvest. An abundant
harvest was cause for great celebration and joy.
Joy is one of those emotions in life that reflects the greatness of
something or someone encountered, a deep longing fulfilled or a
wonderful experience. Joy is an emotion reserved for experiencing the
best in life. One of the complaints that might be lodged is the
absence of joy often found in people's lives today. In an age of
affluence and a high standard of living, joy is something that some
folks pursue in futility. Even the word itself, "joy", doesn't seem to
enjoy much currency these days.
But joy is the chosen word of those who have had an experience, an
encounter with our Lord. Those who have had first-hand dealings with
the Lord report back to the rest of us with a reverence and a joy that
grips their hearts. I am reminded of Peter's observation, "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 goal of your faith, the
salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:8-9. As David found his joy in the
Lord when in distress, we too experience a deep joy as we "fix our
eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2. We need look no
further than here for encountering "an inexpressible and glorious
joy"! Our Lord is like that...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd
love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment