The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Monday
July 28, 2008
"I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the
clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a
bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels. The Sovereign Lord
will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His
righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, filled with young plants
springing up everywhere."
Isaiah 61:10-11
Joy is a major aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. The Spiritual Renewal Bible says, "Fruit doesn't instantly appear on trees. As trees grow and seasons pass, fruit slowly develops. In a similar way, as we continue to accept our responsibility to stay connected to God, it is the Holy Spirit's responsibility to produce good fruit in us." I couldn't have said it better myself!
Our responsibility is in submitting. God's responsibility is in dressing us. Through the blood of Jesus we are dressed in His robe of righteousness. He prepares us for Himself when we submit to the preparation, as a result we will experience overwhelming joy!
When we were members of River of Life, the Pastor was one of the most awesome, humble, and powerful men of God I had ever known. Anytime the Holy Spirit told him to share his pulpit he did and stayed around to enjoy it. Such was the case one Sunday night when he allowed his brother to preach. We were all blessed.
Through Pastor Lee's submitting to this prompting of the Holy Spirit, we all received a revelation from God through His brother. While Jesus hung dying on the cross it was the first time in His life that He addressed God as God rather than as Father. Jesus was so separated from God that He was no longer His Father. Therefore, Jesus experienced the genuine, deep agony of man – total separation from God. We are taught this truth about His suffering and joy in Hebrews 12:2b, "He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward." Jesus was able to endure this agony because He knew of the joy that would come. This is His desire for us, to endure the trials of life with joy, with singing, and with heartfelt praise.
When God gave me the final chapter for my book one Saturday I experienced this overwhelming joy with the title of the last chapter, "Singing Through the Storm." That is what God has called us to do. We are to press into Him when we are faced with trials and simply praise Him through the pain by singing through the storm. We are able to do this because we know that the outcome of any storm is a deeper relationship with Him and more divine appointments to share His truth with others. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
We are the Bride of Christ. He is preparing us for the wedding of the ages. When He returns to receive us unto Himself we will be dressed and ready if we submit to the time of preparation. I don't know about you, but this pumps me up. I want the world to know my Jesus. I want the world to know the joy of His salvation. I want the world to know the joy of the Holy Ghost. I will press in, press on, and press up as I plant seeds for young plants to spring up!
Father, thank You for allowing us to plant seeds for Your Kingdom. Thank You for inexpressible joy! Thank You for Pastor's who edify the body and thus reveal the joy of submission!
