Restore to me the joy of your salvation... (Psalm 51:12)
Today is a day to count your blessings. Most of us will have food to eat today — and likely a lot more than we actually need. Many of us will have loved ones around us, people whom we dearly love and love us. But we have so much more to be thankful for.
Every earthly blessing will pass away. Meals end. Loved ones die. We die. But our heavenly blessing of a relationship with Jesus is never-ending. The same goes for joy. Our joy in earthly moments is fleeting, like riding a wave. The wave ends, and you either paddle back out into the surf or you just go in for the day. Enjoy the ride, but it’ll end.
Today, take inventory of where your joy is found.
When you put your faith in Christ, you entrust Him with your joy. He will not be King of your soul and yet leave the joy to you. He will provide you with a joy which is not like a crumbling wave, but is rather a wave which builds and builds forever.
Circumstances can change with the weather, and if we put our hope in them to satisfy us we will find ourselves wind-tossed and anxious about our lack of control over our lives. (How many of us have learned this the hard way this year?) But if we put our joy — the abiding happiness of our souls — in the nail-pierced hands of Christ, we will find ourselves anchored and assured.
Count your blessings today, church family. But more than that, take inventory of your joy. We have a Living Hope!
