Tuesday, May 7, 2013

A Joyful Heart


The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy and I will give
thanks to him in song.         Psalm 28:7  

     “A happy heart makes the face cheerful.” Proverbs 15:13a

     “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy…” Psalm 5:11

     “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence…” Psalm 16:11

     “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.” Psalm 19:8a

     “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” Psalm 28:7

     “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” Psalm 33:3

     “Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.” Psalm 43:4a

     “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12

     “I know that my Redeemer lives.” Job 19:25a 

     Over the past few weeks we, as American citizens, have encountered pain and heartache on a national scale. Boston, Massachusetts, and West, Texas, will be forever engraved in our memories. Add to those the heartache, pain, suffering and tragedies that many face on a personal level and we can be tempted to allow our hearts to grow heavy with despondency, despair, desperation and depression.

     God’s Word gives us a prescription for joy in the midst of pain, suffering and sorrow. Take refuge in Him and sing for joy. Enter His presence and be filled with joy. Follow His precepts for a joyful heart. Remind yourself that He, the LORD, is our strength and shield as we trust in Him. Go to the altar of God and ask Him to restore the joy of His salvation.

     His joy sustains us. We can be happy and we can be sad. We can laugh and we can cry. We can shout in victory or crumble in defeat. But in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we can have joy—deep, abiding, dancing feet joy! 

      In the midst of horrible tragedy, Job found a reason to have joy and declared, “I know that my Redeemer lives.” Can we do less? Let us leap for joy today. If you think you have no reason to be filled with joy, encourage yourself in the LORD with these words:

     “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 

      Today, I choose joy because I am a whosoever! Will you join me as I sing?
 
© JP 2013

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