Do you long to hear God's voice? Not an audible sound that only a few experience, but God's voice coming into your heart and mind? We all have a longing for something beyond ourselves, so the desire to hear God's voice and feel His presence is quite normal. This connection does not happen unless we are in a position to listen. God in His grace has made it possible for us to hear His voice in a variety of ways. God's already speaking to us. All we need to do is listen, listen, love, love.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Day 19/100: Rejoice for 'your ship', your salvation, has come.
Day 19/100: Rejoice for 'your ship', your salvation, has come.
Read: 1 Samuel 1:1 - 2:10 (The birth of Samuel/Mother Hannah prays
& rejoices). Psalm 35 (David's song of rejoicing in God's
deliverance of him from his enemies), Psalm 118, Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 15:11-32 (Prodigal Son), Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice;
Definition: Be very happy about something
Synonyms (words/phrases that mean the same): be glad, be overjoyed,
celebrate, delight, enjoy, exult, feel happy, glory, joy, jump for joy,
make merry, revel, triumph.
Yesterday, I wrote about being
stranded on an island called 'Forsaken' and ended it with a message of
hope that someday there will be a time when you will no longer be
stranded nor forsaken. A day of redemption. A day when 'your ship', your
long awaited day of salvation will come. That one day God will reveal
himself to you and the long days when tears of grief and anguish ruled
your hearts will come to an end.
It seems only fitting that
today should be the day to bring to you a devotion that places before
each of us gathered here a message of rejoicing, finding a reason to be
happy about something after vacationing on the island called 'Forsaken'.
I rejoice that the Lord has revealed to me this morning that there is
someone reading this who needs to be introduced to these wonderful
feelings called happiness and joy. I pray that as you read the Bible
passages, and this short message, you will find a single reason to leave
'forsaken' behind and begin a journey of transformation that will help
and encourage you to change tears of anguish into tears of great
rejoicing.
I do not know how long you have been crying, maybe
for hours or days or weeks. It is possible that you have been crying in
silence for many years, many if not all of them unheard, unheeded, or
mocked by the ears of the people around you. You have cried for a long
time and the mere mention of rejoicing is like a mockery to your ears. The rivers and lakes of our tears of anguish threaten to drown us leaving us no hope. This is my story, these are my songs, these are my tears, feeling
forsaken all the day long. Yes this will be my story, this will be my
life song, living in anguish all my life long. I will rejoice with
Blessed Assurance that my life song can never ever change.
Quite the life song, isn't it? Heart rendering, huh? Never been there or
never done that? Hmm, I'll bet you have been. I know I have been - for
37 years I lived there! Okay so you wont admit it or choose to recognize
it or do not believe you will ever see it and are sure you do not
deserve anything different. Well, God knows better.
Hannah was
barren for many years, on the receiving end of severe taunting and
mockery. She prayed to God, surrendered her situation to the Lord and
God heard her fervent pleas and found favor with them and in due time,
she gave birth to a son. The Lord heard her years of tears and with
great love came along side and blessed her with new life, new hope --
gave her a powerful reason to rejoice in the Lord.
Scripture
is not clear how long the 'Prodigal Son' was out there regretting every
action he took when he claimed his inheritance from his father. How long
was he crying in the midst of the pig slop before he began the long
journey home sure that all his mistakes would be held against him and he
deserved all forms of punishment? His mind was sure of what was
coming until his father (GOD) ran to him and the party was on. The
celebration began with all the very best food before laid before him.
Rejoice Rejoice for my long lost son was once dead but now he is
alive!!!
Paul wrote from the midst of a Roman prison
and wrote: 'Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say Rejoice' '...
the Lord is near' '... and the Peace of God which surpasses all
understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus'
As much as there is a road paved with tears, there is much greater news
for the wounded heart: There is a less traveled road that leads to
redemption and God is waiting for you there (Isaiah 35:8-10). The
journey is long but rejoice for salvation awaits your arrival. God
is waiting for you there, Jesus is the Shepherd that will lead you and
the Holy Spirit will guide all of your steps. God's love is with you
always.
Pray today that God will reveal to you the many
wonderful ways just how close He really is to you. Ask the Shepherd
Jesus to lead you through the tears and the Holy Spirit to grant you the
heavenly gift of joy just because God and His love are with you.
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