Tag Archives: Savior

God is our Reward, What is Good?

Do we Just Settle for a Good Day?

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Recently a missionary dear to our hearts made a statement which is rocking my world. She said when invited by God to serve and love someone, she has a choice. She can step into what God wants for her or choose to just have a good day.

Over the last few years she’s learned a deep level of dependence upon God for provision and direction. She doesn’t always have the luxury of knowing how the next bill will be paid or what she’ll be doing six months from now.

She’s sensed the Lord’s calling to go wherever He sends her – Jesus’ nomad. She’s learning to listen to her Savior’s voice and follow where He leads. 

She’s been on several ministry trips speaking the name of Jesus boldly and offering His salvation for those who believe. There have been healings and “unlikely” conversions. At times she’s felt foolish, but her desire is to always listen and obey what she believes God is asking her to do.

Wow. I want this kind of heart for Jesus. Aren’t we all called to be missionaries? Didn’t Jesus send us out to our own people to tell what marvelous things the Lord has done for us and how He’s shown us mercy? Aren’t we all to follow Jesus with this same gusto, being His disciples and making disciples?

I want to learn this level of dependence, trust and obedience. Am I allowing my desire for good days to get in the way of something bold Jesus wants to do through me?

A Good Day

What is a good day? Is it accomplishing what needs to be done amid pleasant circumstances, being with the ones we love, doing things we enjoy? I like days like that, but does my desire for ease keep me from stepping into what God wants for me?

Unlike our missionary, I’ve settled into the comfort of predictability. There’s nothing wrong with planning, but do I allow my plans to cloud what God may want me to do? I pray not. Smooth days are nice, but they can feel empty.  Good days are pointers to what’s is wonderfully, joyfully, eternally good – God Himself.

Asaph wrote after he entered the sanctuary of the Lord, But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; (Psalm 73:28a)

God is what’s really good, no matter what our circumstances are. He’s at work in us to help us know this, sometimes through difficulties. He doesn’t want us to settle for less than Him as our heart’s desire.

“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1b NIV)

Prayer

Lord, I surrender my longings for a smooth, comfortable life. Like our missionary, I want to choose you over a good day. I know You are my Good. No matter what happens, You are with me. In Your presence is fullness of Joy. Lead me into a deeper surrender of those comforts I hold on to.

 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:27-28)

 Lord, help me learn to hear Your voice. Guide me into the adventures You have for me each day. I want to speak Your name boldly and offer Your Salvation to those You bring my way. You are my Life.

Amen

[1] Unless otherwise noted, the Scriptures quoted are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

What is Comfort?, What is Joy?

Comfort and Joy Revealed

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 One of my favorite Christmas songs is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The lyrics include, “Let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day. To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.”

These words speak to me. I want to walk around in comfort and joy, but I need to understand what this really means. I have to admit,  I love comfort (ease and freedom from pain and grief). Don’t we all? From my soft down pillows to my built-in propensity to pursue relief from pain at all costs, I’m a comfort junkie.

But this kind of comfort can’t be what’s meant by the words. Christ’s coming hasn’t signaled ease and pain-free living. Far from it. To reconcile the difference,  I turn to Scripture:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. (II Corinthians 1:3-5 NASB)

Somehow Paul is able to mention affliction (pressure, a pressing together, tribulation, distress) and comfort in the same sentence? He calls the Lord the God of all comfort, able to comfort us in all our afflictions. I know God’s isn’t an Eternal Pain Relief. He is able to relieve all pain, but often He chooses to supersede our sufferings with the Joy of His presence. The Greek word Paul used for “comfort” means to call to one side, to summon near. True comfort is God’s nearness.

When I found out about my mother’s cancer moments after my Sebring’s motor seized up, leaving me stranded on a barren rural road, I sensed God’s nearness. It didn’t alleviate the pain, but His presence gave me a deep sense of well-being. My outer world was crashing down around me, but I sensed a joy deep within. Would I have known the extent of His Comfort and Joy without that experience? I don’t think so.

The night before He died, Jesus told His disciples about the “Comforter” sent to be with us forever, His Holy Spirit.

  • Comfort and Joy is always available
  • Comfort and Joy is not a feeling
  • Comfort and Joy is a Person

Rest merry Gentlemen. In the Joy of God’s Presence, there’s nothing to dismay. Remember. Christ,  Our Savior, was born on Christmas day. He’s saved us all from Satan’s spell, even when we’d wondered far away. In Christ,  there’s true Comfort and Joy no matter what comes our way.

Lord, when I began pondering the words of this song earlier today, comfort and joy were far from me. The swirl of the world had distracted me from the joy of Your nearness. Thank you for bringing me back to the simplicity of Your continual presence. Your Comfort and Joy is much more powerful than any earthly happening. Please help me to always remember this. 

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Walking in the Spirit

Only by the Spirit

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Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Galatians 3:3 NIV)

It’s taken me decades, but I think I’m beginning to get it. As believers in Jesus Christ, the only way we’re to live is in the flow of the Holy Spirit. We’ve been indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ and our life is to be a life of continuing to recognize our spiritual death and depending on Christ’s life within.[1] Any other way of living is a dam against the flow of the Rivers of Living Water within us.

Abiding, walking in the Spirit, depending on Jesus are not just nice suggestions, not just good ideas, but vital to living life the way God intends. After all, Jesus tells us that apart from a life of remaining in Him as our nourishing vine, what we do is worth nothing. I’ve grown tired of wearying myself out doing things to please God in my own strength. It’s a sobering thought to hear what Paul says about our attempts to please God by our own feeble efforts:

 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. (Galatians 2:21 NASB)It’s a cool spring morning. The trees are blanketed in leaves and the birds are chirping. The breeze is crisp. As I look down toward the barn, where the hens are scratching, the winter rye is still emerald green.

I recognize the Lord’s nearness. This is not necessarily a feeling, but an acknowledgement of the truth. The Lord Jesus indwells me by His Holy Spirit. He wants me to abide in the flow of His Spirit. This means being about what He wants and not what I want.

He’s all I need. He’s my Great Reward, my One Thing, my Pearl of Great Price. I declare these things because I know they are true, even when I don’t feel them. I also recognize that in spite of the way others might treat me and regardless of what I do or don’t do, the Creator of the universe wants to be with me. He delights in me and was willing to die to be with me forever.

These truths are stunning. Allow them to wash over you and settle into the deep parts of your heart. The eternal truths are greater than our thoughts feelings.

As I walk forward, believing these truths, yielding to Christ in me, longing for what He desires, isn’t this walking in His Spirit?

A humming bird hovers at the feeder a few feet away on the other side of the back-porch screen. Several birds begin to sing melodious songs back and forth. An impatient hen squawks for a nesting box down in the coop.

Lord, guard me from discouragement. I want to focus on you and not on circumstances, but times are hard. A good friend has brain surgery in a couple of hours. They found cancer on Wednesday.

Yesterday, another friend lost a nephew suddenly of a heart attack. He was a young man with a wife and six children. Members of my own family are going through deep emotional pain.

Lord, how do we make sense of it all? I call You near for the comfort of Your presence. You bring joy to my heart.

It’s raining now. Freshly laid zoysia sod soak up the drops. A red headed woodpecker pecker is so long it has to hang under the feeder as it pecks some seeds.

Lord, how do I stay in the flow when I leave this serenity and turn my attention to tasks? Love must lead in the midst of duties. Please keep me from doing anything apart from your leading. I wait upon you as a waiter attends a table. Please teach me how to be attentive to your nearness and your desires.

I’m called away to do something. As a work, I remain conscious of the Lord’s nearness. May every word and deed bring glory to my Savior.

Eating strawberries now. I praise you, Lord, for taste buds and for a wife who cut them up for me and poured on cream. You’ve given me so many things to enjoy! May I rejoice in Your nearness as appreciate life’s moments.

It’s raining harder now. My bride brings me extremely fresh eggs and oatmeal with cinnamon.

 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law (Galatians 5:16-18 NASB)

Lord, as I seek to walk only by your Spirit, I ask you to show me quickly when self rises up. I know when I insert my-self in any situation the flow of your Spirit in my life is blocked. My flesh is opposite to your Spirit. I never want to hamper what you want to do, so please guide me in bringing self desire, self dependence, self achievements, self glorification, self defense, self whatever to your cross where self was crucified with you.[2]

[1] Galatians 2:20

[2] Romans 6:4-11

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains