We are heading for the lake this morning to celebrate Leif’s birthday early and to see our nephew and 2 nieces. We plan to stop on the way to see a friend at Assisted Living too. It should be a beautiful ride with all the color. I was reading from Acts 2:25-28 (God’s Word) where Peter is speaking to the new believers who had just been filled by the Holy Spirit. He quotes what David said in Psalm 16, “I always see the Lord in front of me. I cannot be moved because He is by my side. That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices. My body also rests securely because you have not abandoned my soul to the grave or allow your holy one to decay. You make the path of life known to me. In your presence there is complete joy.”
Our deepest joy and outlook on life doesn’t come from external things but it is found in a person…the person of Jesus. We have only to look at people who have everything, great wealth and fame, but if they don’t know the Lord, they have not found complete joy. They can keep searching and buying more things, but it leaves them feeling empty. The source of our joy is Jesus and we experience joy as we are in His presence.
If we are to enjoy someone, we need to get to know them and to spend time together, to talk with them and share our hearts. David said in Psalm 27 that he will seek the face of the Lord and he will not rush but wait for the Lord. We will find as we also do that, we experience the joy of His presence. He has so much to say to us through His Word so it is important that we spend time each day letting the Word speak to us. But it is also important to be quiet and just listen and let Him love us. I know I need to do that more and too often I jump into my day without just spending quiet moments listening.
The chorus to a song by Sandi Patty goes, “In your presence there is comfort/ In your presence there is peace/ When we seek to know Your heart/ We will find such blessed assurance/ In Your holy presence Lord.” Let these words be your prayer today.
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