A Joyful Man!

“O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength.  How great is his joy in the victories you give!  Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. “ Psalm 21:1, 6

I have pondered these verses for months—I did not know how to explain what I felt these verses meant.  But Saturday it was like the veil was removed and God showed me a living example of these verses. 

My husband Doug loves golf and he watches golf regularly on TV.  I’ve learned to appreciate those spectacular shots and love the landscape around the courses; however, a golfer I am not.  I cannot hit the ball.  Putt Putt Golf is a big challenge for me and I have to get really mad to even put the stinkin’ ball in the hole.  Definitely not a relaxing time—it can be somewhat fun, but not relaxing.

On Saturday, we were watching the AT & T Open in Philadelphia, PA.  One of the commentators asked the caddie of one of the top contenders, “What is he like?”  The caddie’s response, “He is a joyful man!”  Now I’ve watched this golfer and most definitely, he is a joyful man.  He is a reflection of joy on the course and off--  whether he has a good shot or  bad and with the interaction among his colleagues and the crowd.  He is truly joyful!

I think that this is what David is talking about in this Psalm.  I’ve been told that this golfer is indeed a believer in Jesus Christ!  The victories God has given him during his life are reason for great joy, as he learned to play golf against great odds.  He has a work ethic that is reflected in his game and life.  He shares is winnings with others in gratitude.  His joy comes from deep within and God has granted him joy that people notice. 

How is my joy barometer?  How about yours?  This golfer is a great example—look for him on the PGA tour – you cannot miss him!  J  

Psalm 4:7

“You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.”  Psalm 4:7 (NIV)

I’m not really sure what this one means.  I’ve pondered on it for a long time.  In this psalm, David talks about God helping him personally.  David has enough confidence in his relationship with God to present his problems to Him and to rest in peace because of the safety God gives to him.  This certainty comes about because the relationship has been tried and tested.  I think this is where David draws his joy.

I know that joy is not found in work, but the relationship that I have with my Lord as I do the work.  He helps me when I'm bored or when I am very confused about a project I'm working on--giving me clarity of thought and allowing me to figure out the puzzle as I go.  In the end, I know that He has walked me through and that I was not doing this on my own!  It is pretty exciting to know that the God of the universe cares enough about me to help me do the work He as given me to do!

Pure Delight!

‘Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.  He said:  “Who is this that darkens my counsel with word without knowledge?  Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.  Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?  Tell me, if you understand.  Who marked off its dimensions?  Surely you know!  Who stretched a measuring line across it?  On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and the angels shouted for joy?”’ Job 38:1-6 (NIV)

I love these verses!  How would you like to have God question you?  How humbling!  How scary!  Yet it is amazing that God takes time to communicate with man!  He has given us his written word in the scriptures—I have heard people call it his letter to us.  I love getting letters, especially those that come from someone that cares about me. 

In these verses God gives a glimpse of what happened before the world was.  We get to look into His workshop—He had a plan for our old world from the beginning, just like a master builder—there are dimensions to the universe, He knows the measurements, there is a foundation and a cornerstone.  He has spent time drawing out the plans and He is executing the plan.  The stars sing and the angels shout for joy!  Can you imagine being there?

When our daughter was about 2 and a half years old, we purchased a swing set for her and Dad put it together.  Now Dad has many talents, but building things is not one of them, but he had the directions and a little girl cheering him on to the finish.  With every piece we pulled out of the box, excitement and wiggles reigned.  As the frame took shape, more wiggles and clapping of hands—it could not go up fast enough!  At last after waiting all day, she was able to climb on the glider and swing by herself—such squeals of delight!  This is how I envision the experience of the angels, excitement, wonder, anticipation and pure delight!  “…and the angels shouted for joy!”  

Fun Surprises!

Studying joy is a good activity to do; however, it is so important to make the study more than just knowledge.  We must learn to apply God’s word.  God gave me a special blessing this weekend!  I saw the first robin of the season!  Living at close to 7,000 feet, spring sometimes takes a long time to arrive, but IT IS COMING!!!!  This year the robins are later than usual, so seeing one brought such joy to me!  I could delight in God’s sneak peek of the changing season!!! YAY!  Even today the thought of the robin brings me a smile and a laugh!  What has God revealed to you today that brings you to that point of excitement, delight, awe and/or joy?  Be sure to thank God for His personal gift—it shows He is thinking about you!

Esther 9:22

“because those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing  and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.”  (NASB)

Hey All, thanks for hanging in there with me.  I think I’m trying to make this blogging stuff much to difficult.  And seeing that keeping all the details in order is one of my gifts and weaknesses, I just realized that I was being to serious!

Needless to say, this verse is talking about one of the best gifts that God gives to us—LIFE.  You see, the Jews living during the reign of Queen Esther had been sentenced to death and God had rescued them from their enemy Haman.  All the people in the kingdom of King Xereses were to kill their Hebrew neighbors on a specific day.  But God used Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai to intervene before the king on their behalf and a ruling was given to allow the Jewish people to defend themselves.  Can you imagine—one day you had no hope and the next day you were given life!

No wonder they were celebrating and actually created a holiday named “Purim” that is still observed today. 

This is a great picture of another gift that God bestows on us humans—ETERNAL LIFE!  That ‘s right, we are given the gift of eternal life.  Much like Queen Esther and her people, we humans also are sentenced to death because we have all sinned—there is no way that any of us is worthy to stand before a Holy God.  It is a universal law so to speak.  However, again like in Esther, God intervened for people through the work of Jesus—He died on a cross for the sins of everyone in every nation.  We have a choice, just like Queen Esther and the rest of the Hebrew people living in that kingdom—had they not chosen to defend themselves, they would have died--we have a choice to receive Jesus and accept His payment for our sins—it takes action on your part.   Not only did Jesus die for your sins and mine, but also he was dead and buried for 3 days and then He defeated death and arose on the third day.  We celebrate that holiday every spring--Easter.

So my friends, joy is found in life, be that now or forever more!  Now that is definitely worth rejoicing and treasuring in one’s heart!   

Nehemiah 8:10

“Then he [Ezra] said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to the Lord.  Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10 (NAS)

I’ve spent all week thinking about this verse.  I’ve tried to relate it to the reading of God’s word to the Israelites, to the Feast of Booths and how the people were to praise the Lord for the work that He had done for their ancestors—bringing them out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, through the desert and feeding them with manna for 40 years.  All these things are important to God, to them, to me, but what I think the Lord is trying to teach me is much more simple and yet very complex.

As children, we learn the chorus, “The Joy of the Lord is my Strength.”  It is fun to sing and easy to remember, but I never thought out it’s significance.  The people in Nehemiah had rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem.  They had gathered together and asked Ezra to read “the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel (8:1,2).”  The people were so moved by what they heard, that they began to weep.  That says to me that the Lord had flooded their hearts and souls with so many emotions—joy, brokenness, awe, grace, compassion, mercy, wonder, excitement, guilt, anger, love—that their reaction was to humble themselves before the Living God and all they could do was cry.  (I’ve been there before.)  Ezra says in essence, “Folks, look, God is doing a work here in our lives.  This is a good thing, a holy day.  No more weeping.  Rest in God’s joy, feel His strength, know He is real.  We will make this a time to celebrate.”

When God moves in my life, I need to rest in His joy and let it flow out of me and onto others for this is a witness of God.  A reality that God exists and works in the life of people like me.  The more the joy flows, the more I feel His strength and need to express this to others.  I stand in awe of His recent work in my life that has now allowed me to express joy to others and has given me contentment where a restless spirit resided!   It has even propelled me to start blogging!  It is my prayer that I would be a reflection of the Lord’s joy and strength, so that others can know and experience the Living God.  

I Chronicles 16:26,27

26 "For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
27  Splendor and majesty are before Him.  Strength and joy are in his place" (NAS)

These verses are found in a "Song of Thanksgiving" lead by Asaph and his brothers before the people.  David had worked to bring the ark of the covenant of God to Jerusalem, so that the nation could make seeking God a priority once again, for this had not been done by Saul, David's predecessor.  David hoped to build a permanent temple for God to reside, but that honor fell to Solomon, his son. The celebration must have been a sight to see and experience--the parade, the sacrifices, the ceremony, the music, and then this song, thanking and giving God glory for his past wonders and praising Him for who He is.

In the middle of the song, '"...strength and joy are in his place."'  The words strength and joy are a sharp contrast.  Strength reminds me of power, authority and having one's way (like standing in the ocean as the breakers hit your legs--the strength is evident).  Joy does not come from a place, but rather radiates from God.  It is that special delight that resonates deep within one's soul that cannot be taken away--it is excitement, peace, expectancy, freedom, delight, wonder all rolled into one.  To put "skin" on joy, one might say it is like feeling the first kick of your baby before you have even met or the feeling one has when holding that newborn for the first time.

The Lord God is so big that these attributes (along with many other) permeate from His presence at the same time.  AMAZING!  I need to praise You more often Lord!