Take a moment and fill in the missing word or words to finish off the title – everyone wants to be …..
I wonder what word or words you picked?
Let me give you a couple of people in different situations and see what word or words they might have filled in.
If I said the word was JOY you might be surprised and why not. All the names I have just mentioned were not in a great position.
You and I are in the same boat at this present time although our circumstances may not be the same as those people mentioned. Still, I would like to offer you that JOY today.
The reason for JOY is life to them was based on a person, not on circumstances.
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
Job 19:25
Job had a solid foundation of faith to keep the JOY in him. Job built his life on trusting the Lord no matter what happened. Job knew that he could rebuild his life with the Lord’s help. Job knew that his real and lasting joy would come from the Lord. At the end of the book we see Job prayed for his friends who had been anything like friends but that did not matter for the Lord restored his life to full joy and blessings. Two commandments are to love God and to love others. Job’s faith in God and praying for his friends were in accordance with those two commandments.
So Joy means a complete satisfaction and gladness based on the love, grace, blessing, and promises of God that belong to those who believe in Christ.
Tomorrow we will look at Paul and Silas in their prison ordeal.
When times are hard we still can have JOY. The reason is there is a person who oversees our every situation and promises to be with us all the time and his promises never fail.
So JOY is not a feeling but a fact. As Job said, I know that my redeemer liveth.
Stay safe and Blessed.