Do you think that I am going to draw my morning devotional from the 7th game of the World Series? The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat.
No…but it was a great game!
I’m still thinking about the joy that comes from being in the presence of the Lord. Let me share a situation from a few years back that robbed my joy and you will realize why I kept repeating to myself, “I have fullness of joy”.
King Solomon said in Song of Solomon that we are to catch the little foxes because the little foxes spoil the grapes. I kept running into little foxes all day long. You see we had gotten a new computer. Now this was my choice mind you. Our old computer had been around for 4-5 years. It’s was a dear friend. I knew it inside out, literally. But it was old and wearing out so I asked our son-in-law Stephen to recommend a newer and better computer that would meet my needs and have a relatively easy learning curve for both Dave and I.
I made a list of everything I needed to move from one computer to the other and methodically went about my task. I felt pretty accomplished for a non-computer tech type person. Checking off each item as I completed them. Yes, this was going smoothly until one of those little foxes got out! Oh yes, must restart to activate new software…another little fox. A phone call in the midst of my concentration…another little fox of distraction. Launch again, a missing element…another little fox! Frustration mounting…
You see I’ve learned to recognize the “big” things in my life that seek to get me off course in my relationship with the Lord but more often than not, I get tripped up by these little foxes. It was certainly time to pray, I had done that when I started, asking for wisdom thanking the Father for guiding me through this process but somewhere along the way, I had allowed the frustration to override my peace.
Then I heard “in my presence is fullness of joy”. I don’t feel very joyful right now Father. “then you’re not in my presence”. Oh, right. I’m wrapped up in my own little world and I’ve forgotten to lean on you. Sorry. “That’s ok. Take a breath, rest, come sit with me and you’ll find fullness of joy”.
If God the Father is concerned with a small thing of setting up a new computer, let me assure you that the weightier matters of life are certainly within His provision as well. Capture the little foxes and then sit in the Father’s presence. You will find fullness of joy and experience the thrill of victory.
“8 I always remember that the Lord is with me.
He is here, close by my side,
so nothing can defeat me.
9 So my heart and soul will be very happy.
Even my body will live in safety,
10 because you will not leave me in the place of death.
You will not let your faithful one rot in the grave.
11 You will teach me the right way to live.
Just being with you will bring complete happiness. (fullness of joy, KJV)
Being at your right side will make me happy forever.” Psalm 16 ERV
God is on our side! He has set a plan for our lives to lead us into victory. We need to understand that when we follow that plan we will triumph. Did you see that above “the Lord is with me so nothing can defeat me”?
“If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? 33 If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? 34 Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side,speaking to him for us.” Romans 8:31-34 CEV
God has chosen us, imagine that! He isn’t willing to leave anyone out, in His love He wants everyone to be a part of His family. The thrill of victory is a result of our being chosen.