One of my all time favorite verses is Ps. 51:10-12 which has this line tucked into the middle of it, "Restore onto me the JOY of my salvation." I share that with you because I've begun to look at that prayer request in a little different light these days. I have always simply thought of it as a request of me to God to remind me of that moment I first encountered and embraced Jesus as my personal Savior and Lord. (I had encountered Him plenty of times, but never embraced Him; and embracing Him makes all the difference!) But lately, I'm coming around to seeing it as more of a request of me to God to help me live in the present and to see the world and people as He does. Maybe this popular song lyric says it best, 'Open the eyes of my heart, that I may see You'.
When we in South Carolina, Carole took a walk with some folks that are dear friends to our sister-in-law, Kelly. Carole came away from that experience overwhelmed by the way in which Kelly's friends embraced the simple pleasures of life and their surroundings. She told me over and over how much joy they found in the things of life we normally overlook. They truly were living in the present, and loving it. Now, since AIDS is a ever present reality for them, I found this to be quite remarkable. But as I thought more about it, and prayed about it as I sat in the deer stand watching corn, I began to entertain the thought that so much of how we live this life in the everyday really comes down to the choices we make.
Way too often, my circumstances dictate my moods and thoughts and attitudes of my heart. When in truth it doesn't have to. I can choose to live in the now and in the JOY that God has already promised me for the moments in which I find myself. So much of how this life effects us all is really our choice. Love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control that the Scriptures refers to as the Fruit of the Spirit is readily available to each of us; but we MUST choose to embrace it and live it in every moment of this life today. And the moment we choose to do that, God's Spirit jumps into action and fills us up with it until it's running over and effecting everyone around us! Now, to me, that's learning to live the prayer, restore me unto the JOY of my salvation!
PJ
3 comments:
John, thank you so much for reminding me where our real joy comes from. Way too often we over look God's free gifts and should be celebrating real joy , where in God will give us a Happy Heart.
Thank you. As I have said before , I read all and get a blessing from all your entries , but seldom comment. Thanks for the blessing.
KR of MT.
thank You, for sharing.
meshi
I finally sat down at the computer to read one of your devotionals.I was looking for one to read to the residents at my job today after bingo when we have devotion time.Joy seemed interesting and i looked it up not knowing my name was in it.I saw PJ and thought it meant perfect john,but it really means pastor john doesnt it.?Oh well your perfect to me and gordon.love KM of SC
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