“O Lord… you have put more joy in my heart than when my neighbor’s—even my enemy’s grain and wine abound.” (pp Psalm 4:7).
Lord Jesus, this is just the rebuke I need as the weekend begins. King David didn’t pen these words while he was in a gorgeous chalet in Iseltwald, Switzerland, overlooking the azure-blue waters of the Lake of Brienz. Rather, it was when his son Absalom was trying to kill him. David’s “more joy” wasn’t pleasant circumstance dependent; it was Holy Spirit created and fueled. I’ll gladly take a fresh portion of this kind of joy, Jesus.
Whatever makes us sad, fearful, and angry—or even bugs us and irritates us—these things are not ultimate. Only you are, Jesus. When we pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done,” we aren’t not pining for a nicer day, we are prophesying about the perfect Day—the Day of all things new and beautiful. And, Hallelujah, with your resurrection and enthronement, that Day has already begun.
Though I am allergic to most math, I AM pretty good at the Apostle Paul’s Gospel Math: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us and in us.” (Rm.8:18). Indeed, “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2Cor.4:17). The heck with Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, and “Trig.” Just help master Gospel Math!
Not a hair can fall from our heads, not one cell of ours can turn malignant, not a breath can be snatched from our lungs or beat taken from our hearts apart from your hand and heart, Jesus. Indeed, not one crisis happens in the world and not a single king can mess with your glory apart from your knowing it, working in it, ultimately overruling it. This does not make life easy; it means we are yours. Glory! Glory! Glory! Thank you and So Very Amen.
