Today : Send Me Out With Joy
TODAY’S VERSE
“How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands.– They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.” Psalms 112:1, 4-5 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
God intended us for joy. And the Psalmist shows how to be that way. In his example of a joyful person the author attributes joy to certain behavioral characteristics. He writes, “They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.” This is similar to what Jesus told us. He was asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus answered saying, “The most important one, is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Tim Hughes, in his song, “God of Justice” writes it this way, “God of Justice, Savior to all – Came to rescue the weak and the poor, Chose to serve and not be served – Jesus, You have called us, Freely we’ve received, Now freely we will give – We must go, Live to feed the hungry, Stand beside the broken, We must go, Stepping forward keep us from just singing, Move us into action, We must go – To act justly everyday, Loving mercy in everyway, Walking humbly before You God – You have shown us, what You require, Freely we’ve received, Now freely we will give – Fill us up and send us out.” And He does, He sends us out with joy!
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me to see others the way You do. Help me to see the joy in loving You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and in loving others in the way I want to be loved. Lord, fill me up with Your love and Your joy and send me out.
AMEN
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
God has sent me into the world to love others
If we believe anything about Christianity, then we must believe that we have a personal relationship with God where He has called us to be His disciple of love. Today meditate on that. Wait until you can see yourself before God and hearing Him calling you by name and asking you to live for Him and be like Jesus was. Sense God’s call on your life. Feel deep in your heart that He has asked you to love others in the same way He has loved you. Feel the energy that He provides to do His will. Feel the joy that comes from knowing your Holy purpose. Quietly accept His call and affirm, “God has sent me into the world to love others.”