Today's promise: Obeying God brings great
joy
Is your life dreary or
joyful?
[Jesus said,] "I have
loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me,
you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have
told you this so you will be filled with joy. Yes, your joy will
overflow!"
John 15:9-11 NLT
Finding joy
Why should joy flow from
obedience?
Because of the "never
say die" misconception in some quarters that the Christian life is, at
best, a dreary existence and at worst, a grim process of spiritual survival.
No! Jesus wants our lives
to be rich and full (John 10:10). The Bible demonstrates repeatedly that joy can
be our companion—even during life's worst moments. William Vander Hoven has
noted: "Life need not be easy to be joyful. Joy is not the absence of
trouble but the presence of Christ." We've all known believers who
understood that truth. Despite hard times they were filled to overflowing with
joy. Tell the truth—is anything more eye-catching or more attractive than that?
Whatever your current
difficulty, the more you are convinced of Christ's unconditional love for you,
and the more you are committed to loving him in return by obeying all that he
commands, the more you will know the supernatural joy of Jesus.
You want me to know your
love, Lord. I demonstrate love and experience love as I obey you. Rekindle my
desire to live as you command. You want me to overflow with joy. Make my eyes
dance with joy. Despite my troubles, put a supernatural spring in my step. Fill
my soul with delight as I seek you and obey you and taste your goodness. Make
me attractive to those trapped in joyless lives.
adapted from Praying God's Promises in Tough Times by Len
Woods,, Tyndale House Publishers (2002), pp 152-3
Content is derived from
the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale
Publishing House
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