Shema
CF Ambassador
An Emoji Devotions for Thursday, 12th August, 2021
Topic: The source of Joy
By H. U. Wenger
Highlights: Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” (Psalm 16:1 – 2)
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:8 – 11)
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13:5 – 6)
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10: 9 – 10)
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:4 – 6)
When it comes to show that deep and remaining joy can only be found in God, there are so many highlights in the Bible that it is impossible to mention them all in a short devotional. God is the source of life and life is meant to be full of joy and satisfaction. It is deplorable that we fell away from the presence of God and have exchanged the everlasting joy and fullness of life with tiresomeness and oftentimes a felt senselessness of all of our efforts. The book of Ecclesiastes gives us insight into those feelings of superficiality and vainness and recommends living our lives with joy and gratitude to the creator. As final conclusion the book states: Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil”.
Men of all ages circumvented the decrees of the living God, thinking that they would take away the remaining joys. I never forget how one of my teachers bitterly complained that everything joyful would be either immoral or makes fat. With this attitude it is well possible that we will never search for the source of life and never experience the joy of belonging to the most wonderful creator. By making him my one and only good asset, there comes stability and security into my life that surpasses every joy, my senses can possibly give me. The internal assurance to be his beloved child and the knowledge that he has redeemed me with himself through the sacrifice of his beloved son, Jesus Christ, turns everything upside down. Suddenly I can live without fear. I know that this life here is by far not my best life; the best is yet to come when I will visibly live in his presence in his reign of thousand years and finally in his new heaven and earth. If you do not yet have satisfaction in his joy, search for it today.
Prayer: Dear God, let me experience you as the source of life and joy. Dear Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and that I have searched joy in the worldly things. I repent of all my sins and I pray, please come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. You, God are the source of joy, let me be joyful in your presence. Cleanse me through your blood and fill my heart and mind with your Holy Spirit. In your holy Jesus name I pray. Amen.
