What is the joy you long for? Do you recognize it when it’s staring you in the face? A recent sermon helped me to see that we all have our brokenness. That is really the only thing we have to offer God. He takes it, gently picking up the pieces cradling our very hearts close to His. Some of the pieces we smashed, other pieces were destroyed by another or many.

Have you ever noticed the verses in Scripture that condemn us in our deadness? It seems hopeless. Then the words come, like a rushing waterfall quenching our dry, parched souls – “BUT GOD”! It’s there in black and white, the turning point in the whole redemption Story. He has not left us to ourselves. The Lord really does save the day and ride in on a great white horse fighting for His Beloved, the Church, you. The words in Ephesians leap out, asking us to take notice of the treasure of joy right in front of our eyes.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved –“ (2:4-5 ESV)

The sermon I heard acknowledged that every person has hurts, struggles, or sicknesses to battle. Sometimes in the fog it is hard to see anything else especially in the thick of it. And then words of hope ring out: “But God…” The pastor who spoke that day told us of our need for Him. He presented Christ as desirable and lovely. He pulled back the curtain and helped me see King Jesus in all His Glory, Beauty, and Majesty.

You see, for the believer there is always hope no matter how dark the night of the soul gets. From our living hope springs an unexplainable joy – sometimes quiet you barely know its there. If you sit still long enough you’ll hear the whisper of Him who knit you together in your mother’s womb, “I love you. I have loved you with an everlasting love. You are my joy. Trust me and let Me be your Joy.” We quickly forget God’s love and faithfulness to us, which is why regular intake of the Bible is critical for our spiritual health. There are countless distractions and lies to draw us away from the truth everyday. Staying firmly planted in what God says leads to our joy.

This joy stems from believing when believing doesn’t make sense. Surrender. Wait. Rest. Joy is not in temporal circumstances but in keeping an eternal perspective. God wins. “The Sovereignty of God is the pillow on which we can lay our head”, as Charles Spurgeon so beautifully put it. Things of this importance take a lifetime to cultivate and recognize. We live each day with a grateful heart because God is in control and we are not. As we continue to seek Christ through daily trust and obedience our joy grows into an overflow.

Grace upon grace,

April

“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence their is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”  -Psalm 16:11