nothing better...

January 27,2014

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.

Nothing better than to be joyful, how true that statement is. Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon at the end of his life. He had been granted much wisdom from God (Hello? Proverbs anyone…) but had squandered it along the road of his life. Ecclesiastes is his observation of his life and what had become of it. There is nothing better than to be joyful because joy makes many of the hard things we endure easy. We are able to laugh in times where tears are expected. We are able to get up one more day to a mountain of work we are expected to accomplish; yet we can smile our way through it. This is the power of joy. The ability to do this is a gift from God. One we should take great care never to squander.

being made glad...

January 22, 2014

Psalm 92:4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy

God makes me glad. I sing for joy at what He has done, and continues to do for me. That is certainly worthy of my joy for sure. Psalm 40:5 says, “You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.” God has done more for me than I can ever tell. I wonder how many small everyday miracles pass by me unnoticed. Many, many, I have no reason to have ever lost my joy and I am ashamed that I did. God, alone, is worthy of my joy and in Him I can always find it. If I ever need a reason for joy I can just look around and start counting my blessings!

the reality of the return...

January 21, 2014

Psalm 84:2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God

Do I long for God? Do I look upon His coming with reality and a knowing that it could happen any moment? This is what His word teaches. Is this what I believe? Is this how I live; how I conduct my life, guide my actions? It should be; I should live in the constant reality that Christ could return at any moment. Living in daily joy for that blessed moment.