28TH NOVEMBER
WHAT GIVES YOU JOY?
“I will delight myself in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” (Psalm 119:16)
Delight myself in God’s statutes? Usually statutes are just a list of obligations. This sounds restrictive rather than exciting. It seems odd that the psalmist rejoiced in following God’s statutes, as much as he would in great riches or someone who had just won a lottery. Really? Yes, he recognised that God’s laws are given to set us free from sin’s bondage and make us fulfil His plans and be the best we can be.
The laws keep us away from paths to destruction and on the righteous path. The Scripture should be read, memorised, and put to work in our lives, making it a vital guide for everything we do. Our joy should not be in the ecstasy of the moment but the enduring joy that comes with inner peace, free from guilt and the crippling effects of disobedience. Our joy should be in the testimonies of the greatness of God in the Bible, as well as in our lives and those of others around us. We should rejoice in the knowledge that if we are obedient, we shall eat the fruit of the land.
The story is told of a young boy who was reading the Bible and shouting: Alleluia, Alleluia, God is great! A Professor of Religious Studies came along to ask what was giving him so much joy. He shared that he had just read how God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross on dry land. The professor laughed, and explained to the boy that modern research had shown that the Red Sea at that area was only 10 inches deep so it was not difficult to cross.
The boy looked confused for a moment but his shouts of joy got louder and more forceful. The professor was puzzled and asked him why he was excited, ready to explain away any other miracle of the Bible. The boy explained that God was even greater than he had thought because He not only directed the Israelites through the Red Sea but drowned all the pursuing Egyptian army in only 10 inches of water. Alleluia!
ACTION:Let no individual or circumstance kill your joy. You are blessed!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me not to miss out in the joys that are hidden in your Word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.