"You have
given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new
wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me
safe." (Ps. 4:7-8)
Harvest time was an occasion for
rejoicing and celebration, the evidence of God's favor and the assurance of
provision for another season.
"From the
dew of heaven and the richness of the earth, may God always give you abundant
harvests of grain and bountiful new wine." (Gen.
27:28)
David's prayer is that the
rejoicing in his heart at the presence of God will be like the rejoicing of
others over their harvest. Dancing, singing, swirling, shouting-exuberant
rejoicing.
God promises us an inner supply
that will bring us joy and assurance. Our new wine is the Spirit Himself
filling us with His joy. "Don't be drunk with
wine. Instead, be filled with the Holy
Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and
making music to the Lord in your heart." (Eph.
5:18-19) Our harvest is a harvest of
righteousness: "Those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of
peace and reap a harvest of righteousness." (James
3:18)
God designed us for joy. His Word
is filled with promises of joy from beginning to end. Jesus' personality was
marked by joy. If you think of Jesus as stern and stoic, think again.
Jesus told His disciples that He
wanted His joy to be in them: "I have told you
these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will
overflow!" (John 15:11) The Word of God describes Jesus as anointed
with joy even more than anyone else. "Therefore God, your
God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone
else." (Ps. 45:7)
Joy is God's design, and He knows
how to fill us with His joy that is separate from anything in our
circumstances. If others are basing their joy on their harvest of grain and new
wine, then they are basing their hope on something capricious and unpredictable.
You, harness your joy to the unfailing presence of God.
Father, anoint me with the oil of
Your joy. Fill me with the wine of Your Spirit.
"O God, Quicken to life every power within me, that I may lay hold on
eternal things. Open my eyes that I may see; give me acute spiritual
perception; enable me to taste Thee and know that Thou art good. Make heaven
more real to me than any earthly thing has ever been." - A. W. Tozer
Jennifer Kennedy Dean
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