The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love;
He will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17 ESV)
As I prepare to write on our deck, our little shih apso rescue dog yelps from our porch to join me. On Good Friday, she was found roaming the streets. We picked her up for adoption the next day and named her Lily[1]. Lily longs to be with us every second of the day. Without us, she pines with compassionate longing.
Scripture confirms that God’s desire to be with us is even more intense than Lily’s. Us communing with God is a major theme in the Bible. He created us so that we could enjoy fellowship with Him and, by doing so, bring Him glory.[2] It brings Him great pleasure to share Himself with us. So much so that He was willing to send forth His only Son to die on a Roman cross to restore our fellowship, broken by our sin.[3]
Emmanuel, God with Us, came to earth in the form of a baby, to take our sins upon His back and die in our place. To those who believe in His name and receive Him, God gives the right to become His children.[4] He wants to be with us every second of every day.
Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23b ESV)
Not only is God all around, but He also indwells us. This inward dwelling of the Holy Spirit allows for the most intimate communion possible. The Lord is near, ready to be the strength of our lives and an ever-present source of eternal joy, surpassing even when grain and new wine abound.[5]
But sadly, we can go through an entire day detached from our life source, looking at the world to bring joy to our hearts and relying on our own feeble strength. How do we believe and appreciate God’s desire to be with us and walk in awareness of His nearness? Below are some suggestions:
- Settle daily into the fact that God loves you with an everlasting love,[6] a love which can’t be changed by what you think, how you feel or any past, present or future choice. Walk around in His love. When lies of condemnation and shame bombard you, let them be reminders to remain in His love.
- Understand that, in spite of your problems and difficulties, God is working for your good according to His purposes. Rather than a smooth life, He wants you to be conformed into the image of His Son Jesus.[7]
- Be aware that your inner need for satisfaction and joy was placed in your heart when He created you.[8] In His presence is fullness of Joy.[9] As worldly trappings draw your heart, promising to fulfill you and complete you, remember the source of all joy is closer than breathe. Acknowledge His nearness and turn your heart back to Him whenever you realize you’ve wandered away.
Lord, thank you for Lily. Continue to use her to remind me that you actually delight to be with me, that I give you joy. Wow. Communing with you is sweeter than honey and more valuable than gold.[10] One day with you is better than a thousand days elsewhere.[11] When I get caught up in my day and long for comfort and painless living, please remind me that in Your presence us unconditional joy, especially when times are hard. Thank you so much for loving me this intensely and wanting to be with me. Amen.
[1] For Easter Lily
[2] Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1
[3] John 3:16
[4] John 1:12
[5] Psalm 4:7
[6] Jeremiah 31:3
[7] Romans 8:28-29
[8] Ecclesiastes 3:11
[9] Psalm 16:11b
[10] Psalm 119:72,103
[11] Psalm 84:10
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.
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