The Joy of Salvation

    Avigail took a deep breath. This was it. This was her last hope, their only chance. If this didn’t work, all was lost. Slowly, carefully, she tipped her jar of oil, the only possession she had. Reuven and Benaiah, her two sons, watched in silence as she poured. They knew what was at stake. The oil was flowing, a steady stream disappearing into the much larger vessel. Avigail’s hand started to shake, making the stream of oil quiver. The little jar should’ve been emptied by now, but the oil was still flowing. The nature of the silence abruptly shifted from expectant to shocked as they all realized what was happening. The oil was not stopping! Suddenly, Benaiah cried out, “Mama! It’s going to spill over!” “Quick!”, Avigail called. “Another jar!” Reuven grabbed one of the dozens of vessels they had borrowed from their neighbors. Avigail filled that one too, and the next one, and the next. Jar after jar, and the oil just kept coming. Not until the very last jar was filled to the top did the oil cease. “We’re saved!” Avigail cried. “The LORD has saved us!” Because of this oil, their debt would be paid. Her sons would not be slaves. They were free! What joy!
    Have you ever known the joy of salvation? I remember the hour I first believed. I remember kneeling at my mother’s knees as she led me in prayer. I remember asking Jesus to forgive my sins. I remember saying, “Amen” and feeling a sudden rush of happiness. Although at age 5 I couldn’t put words to it, it felt exactly as though a load of bricks had been taken off my shoulders. What joy!
    King David knew something about this joy. In Psalm 51, when he is confessing to God after his sin with Bathsheba, he pleads, “Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation”. Sin always causes separation between us and God, and that eliminates joy. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy”. (Ps. 16:11) This is true not only in the eternal sense, but also as a principle in our daily lives. According to God, there are no problems outside of sin, and no solutions outside of Jesus Christ. David, in Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” The word “Blessed” literally means “happy”. So if you aren’t happy, if you don’t have joy from being in the presence of God, the reason is very simple: there is unconfessed sin in your life. That may sound harsh, but it’s the truth, and the truth will set you free! In Psalm 32, David goes on to describe what life is like in that state: painful, peaceless, and dry as a desert. Then in verse 5 he unveils the solution: “I acknowledged my sin unto Thee...and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin”. It’s that simple! I’ve seen this borne out so many times in my own life. When I realize that my joy is missing, I’ll go to God and say, “Ok, what’s wrong?” and He is always faithful to gently and specifically show me where I have been disobeying. Maybe I’ve harbored a spirit of complaining, or spoken without kindness to someone. Maybe I’ve allowed an anxiety to roost in my soul, or been unthankful. Whatever it is, if I take it seriously and confess it as sin, God forgives me and cleanses me from it every time. Then comes my favorite part: our relationship is restored! I am reconciled to God and can rejoice in Him again!

Joy is not reserved for conversions and mountaintop experiences. It’s supposed to be a constant, daily reality, just like our walk with Christ. It is, after all, a fruit of the Spirit. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. (Gal. 5:25) So how do we keep our joy when trials come? What do we do when the basement floods, when you have a headache, when your prayers haven’t been answered yet? Keep your focus on Jesus, and trust Him. Refuse to look at the enemy’s evidence, he’s a liar. Jesus is our source of joy, and if you remain clinging to Him, your joy will have no end, only increase. Blessings!

“Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, you righteous;

And shout for joy, all you upright of heart!”

-Psalm 32:11

Written for Pathways To Serenity, Vol. 1, Issue 4: "Joy"

Life: Incoming

(PS: If the print is unreadable, try zooming in: [Ctrl] & [+] ).

Comic strip courtesy of www.fborfw.com.

I'm still here :)

Still living at home and loving my family...
Still helping with Awana...
Still teaching my "Hero-training" class...
Still sponsoring my two favorite African kiddos ever...
Still praying...
Still playing guitar with our worship team...
Still square dancing sometimes...
Still reading good books...
Still studying and cherishing the best Book...
Still growing... (only spiritually, ha!)

And yes, in case you were wondering, I am still working at the library.

Asking the Tough Questions

Loss

Today it rained most drearily. And although we have all been hoping for snow - especially for the sake of my sister-in-law Hannah, visiting from Arizona - the rain seemed appropriate.

We got the news this morning that a man from our church died from a heart attack. Please be in prayer for his wife - now widow - and his two daughters, a sensitive 11 year old and a rambunctious 4 year old. Pray also for us a church family, that we can be the Body of Christ to them. Thank you.

~*~

Psalm Pstudy: 31-40

Feeling stressed? Frustrated? Bored? Insecure? Reckon some Fact:

31. My times are in His hand.


32. Jesus is my hiding place.


33. Jesus is right.


34. Jesus delivered me from all my fears.


35. Jesus fights against those who fight against me.


36. Jesus gives [men] drink from the river of His pleasures.


37. Jesus upholds the righteous.


38. Jesus is my salvation.


39. Jesus is the remover of plagues.


40. Jesus thinks upon me.


I love this stuff! Look up the actual Psalms - God said it and He cannot lie.

Random - New, Almost-new, & Timeless

New favorite Eric Ludy sermon: Wings Like Eagles (4/25/2010). I just listened to it yesterday, and it was amazing.
Timeless favorite E.L. sermon: Reckoning With Truth (10/31/2010). This may be my all-time favorite. That message, that week, changed my life for good!

New favorite song: I don't know the name of it, but one line is stuck in my head: "Love, and Joy, and Peace, and Righteousness, in the Holy Spirit, oh oh oh oh...."
Almost-new favorite song: "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" A new version of the old hymn, combining majestic and personal adoration of Jesus.

Almost-new favorite book: Princess. This book was fascinating, heart-rending, and at times even horrifying. It's a real life story that reveals a lot about the lives of Saudi Arabian women. After I finished reading, I walked outside into a lovely sunshiny day and felt guilty. Not that I had done something wrong, but that I was free in so many ways they might never be. God came for them to have abundant life, and He is burdened for them.
Timeless favorite book, again!: Psalms

New favorite movie: Babies. Zadok Johnson once said something to the effect of, "Who needs a TV when you have a baby around?" Just watched a film by this title that lets you watch four babies from totally different countries "from their first breath to their first steps". It's relax-paced, funny, and extremely cute. Caveat: It's not for everyone; there is cultural/maternal nudity throughout. (PG) Go find a baby near you to watch!

New favorite tradition: Giving overdue thank-you cards at Thanksgiving. The only problem is that you can never thank everybody you ought to!

Almost new & timeless favorite verse: "But the word (†) is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it." Deuteronomy 30:14