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Lenten Devotional: March 4, 2024


by Marilyn Cutting 

Joy


I’m sure you have seen dogs practically hanging out a passenger’s car window. Undoubtably, they feel the wind rushing through their fur, their eyes alert to every movement and their ears flopping in the wind listening to all the sounds whizzing past them at 30mph—a man mowing the lawn, dogs barking, people talking and traffic moving. Oh, and their noses! They are stuck in the air just smelling a smorgasbord of scents and committing them to memory. Sometimes they even look like they are smiling! There is no holding back a dog who loves to ride in a car! This is pure JOY!


I received a text this week from a friend that read, “I find JOY every day, not because life is always good. But because God is.”


What is God’s JOY? What does that look like?


JOY IS STRENGTH:

Nehemiah 8:10—The JOY of the Lord is your strength.


JOY IS GOD’S PRESENCE:

Psalm 16:11—You fill me with JOY in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand.


JOY IS FOLLOWING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS:

Psalm 19:8—The precepts of the Lord are right, giving JOY to the heart.


JOY IS THE FRUIT OF GOD’S SPIRIT:

Galatians 5:22—But the fruit of the spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.


JOY IS TRUSTING THE LORD:

Proverbs 16:20—Those who listen to instructions prosper, those who trust the Lord will be JOYFUL.


JOY WILL REPLACE MY TEARS:

Psalm 126:5-6—Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of JOY. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of JOY.


JOY IS MY REFUGE AND SHIELD:

Psalm 5:11-12—Let all those who take refuge in you rejoice, let them always shout for JOY, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be JOYFUL in you. For you will bless the righteous Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.


JOY IS THE BIRTH OF JESUS:

Matthew 2:10—When they saw the star, they were OVERJOYED.


Rick Warren defines JOY as “the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that everything is going to be alright and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”


King and Country sing the song JOY. You can’t help but dance and sing with this song. As you “choose Joy” as the song lyrics says, “JOY, JOY, JOY, down in your heart. Let it move you! Let it move you” to experience God’s JOY without abandonment and pure JOY!


Meditation: Do you feel as though some days you can no longer endure? Where has your JOY gone? Find your quiet place. Read your Bible. Pray. The Holy Spirit will begin to fill you up with God’s JOY. Let the simple things in life bring you Joy.

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