Overwhelmed with Joy!

TODAY

I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God!  For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness—May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light. 

Christ has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body.  As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.  But you must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly—Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit—How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ! 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 

Isaiah 61:10 NLT; Col.1:12 NLT; Col. 1:22,23 NLT; Rom.5:2 NLT; Ps.32:1-2 ESV; Eph.1:3 NLT; Phil.4:4 NIV

I’m preaching to my own soul today.  It’s so easily fixated on lesser things than rejoicing in this great salvation in which I stand.  There are so many other things with which to be overwhelmed! Solving the puzzle of who I am and what I’m meant to do on this planet today can eclipse rejoicing in the One who has paved the way for my good works to even be possible!  He is the Sun around which I am meant to revolve. He is the light of the world. To Him I lift up my soul, rejoicing!

–LS

O Worship the King!

TODAY

Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure— “Who is able to stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?” they cried out. “Where can we send the Ark from here?”—How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin—Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 

LORD, look down from heaven and see us from your holy, glorious home…You are our Redeemer from ages past.  LORD, why have you allowed us to turn from your path?  Why have you given us stubborn hearts so we no longer fear you?  Return and help us, for we are your servants and your special possession.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.—Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter!—Who is this in royal robes, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation!  It is I, the LORD, who is mighty to save!”— Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Ps.24:3 NLT; I Sam. 6:20 NLT;  Ps.19:12,13 NLT; Ps.51:7; Is.63:15-17 NLT; Eph.1:4 NLT; Ps.24:9; Is.63:1 NLT; I Jn.3:2 ESV

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend.

–Robert Grant, 1833

I couldn’t help but think of this grand hymn. If you’re reading this in your email inbox click this link to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wgDPdTy5Tg

Amen!

–LS

Cause me to hear…

TODAY

Cause me to hear your lovingkindness in the morning for in you do I trust.
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness for those who keep His covenant—Make me know your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths—He teaches the humble His way—”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Thus says the LORD:

“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?  All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

Ps.143:8 NKJV; Ps.25:10,4,9 ESV; Mt.11:28,29 NIV; Is.66:1,2 ESV

Always this lovingkindess to come running home to, no matter how unsettled my little world.  Always forgiveness for the contrite.  Always the Word of God to direct my heart to contrition and my paths to God’s best for me. These are the constants that steady my walk in this world, that reassure me when my heart proves bankrupt and my soul feels parched… Always I can lift up my soul and ask the One who knows my hardness of hearing and my slowness to believe–“Cause me to hear…Cause me to know.”  And He, being forever loving and kind and the maker of my heart, knows just what is needed to bring this about. Amen?!

When, not if…

TODAY

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.—To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.  O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.  Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame—From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.  All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies—The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.— For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!

“I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed…Therefore you are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “that I am God.”

Is. 43:2-3 ESV; Ps.25:1-3 ESV; Ps. 61:2-3 NKJV; Ps.25:99-10 ESV; Prov.18:10 NLT; Rom. 10:13 ESV; Is. 43:12 NKJV

Days don’t always unfold as we anticipate.  Mine hasn’t.  The unforeseen inevitably intrudes, disrupting our best laid plans and defying our peace of mind. I woke from sweet dreams anticipating sweet things to come–a grandbaby’s visit, a family camping trip coming up, and another delicious summer’s day. I sat down to a simple lovely breakfast with my husband… Then I saw the waiting messages on my phone. Multiple messages. Jarring, disheartening, calling for decisions and wisdom…

It has been life-giving in light of these things to dwell for a bit in the Word, in the reality of an eternal Saviour who is working out long-range plans in and through and around us, most of which are in fact way over our heads! But there is no need to panic.  His Spirit quietly leads me to the Rock that is higher than I, higher than the turmoil of unanswered questions and life-in-limbo.   This God is an impenetrable fortress. We are safe even before the details are ironed out and the issues resolved. And we walk through them as witnesses to God’s power to salvage all for His glory.

–LS

What shall I ask for?

TODAY

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.”  And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”— Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”  But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”— And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” ... “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.—If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. —Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.—They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel,  But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, And tested God in the desert.  And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul.

Mark 6:22-24 NIV; Mark 10:35-38 NKJV; Mark 10:51 ESV; II Chron. 1:7, 10-12 NIV; I Jn. 5:14-15 NIV; Jn. 15:7-8 ESV; Jn. 16:24 ESV; James 4:2-3 ESV; Ps. 106:13-15 NKJV

God is a good King.  He invites His children to present their requests. He delights to do us good all the days of our lives. He repeats to us the question Jesus asked James & John, and the blind man.  What do you want me to do for you? 

A godless king once offered this favor to a dancing girl that pleased him.  She turned to her mother for wisdom: What shall I ask for?  And her request was a shameful one fueled by hate and passion.  It led to John the Baptist’s death.  To whom will I turn for counsel?  What shall I ask for?

I’m repeating often these days David’s words in Psalm 25, not just to commit them to memory, but to ingrain them in my heart.  This is what I want my King to do for me–

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.  O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.  Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.  Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.  Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Ps.25:1-5 ESV

Only when He teaches me to want His ways more than my own, will my requests bring Him glory and advance His Kingdom.   This is the path of fruitfulness and overflowing joy!

–LS

For further reading see: What Can I Do For You?