The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength

Jeremiah 31:25 “...for I satisfy the thirsty person and feed all those who are weak.” ~CSB

Satisfying a thirst. Who doesn’t like ice water on a hot summer day. I’m talking, at the peak of your thirst where your mouth is so dry you can taste different flavors of salt in your mouth. The quench of a tall glass of ice water on a day like this feels like it may have been ‘heaven sent’. But it wasn’t.

Any blessing ‘heaven sent’ would be eternal. That ice water used in the example above is not necessarily heaven sent because it is not eternal. If we continue to go through that hot day without any more water, we will be thirsty again. So let us define this example as it refers to worldly and 'heaven sent' by using the difference between happiness and joy.  The world's mindset is usually based on happiness. Happiness doesn’t last long. But the joy in our hearts come from the Lord, (Psalm 30:5). This is heaven sent. Now let us look at another example through our friend Fred.

Fred woke up happy this morning. There is a car at a lot that he has been saving his money for. He has always wanted this type of vehicle so he jumps in his car and drives down to buy it. When he gets there he finds out the car has been sold. There was a miscommunication between him and the salesman and the car is not available anymore. Fred’s happiness was gone. His whole mood has changed. How will this affect how he will be around his wife, his children or even his co-workers? The world gave him his happiness and then the world took it away.

But let us look at this from a spiritual point of view. After talking to his wife, Fred found his joy. God, through his wife, allowed him to realize that he already had a car that was able to take him wherever he needed to go. Not only that but his wife has a car also so that the two of them can independently work and take care of their home. And now the money he was going to use to buy the car, can now be put to use in other ways. Fred realized that he was blessed and not getting the car he wanted, did not take away from what God has already given him. 

When we think about God’s goodness and what he has done for us, we can rest in assurance that no matter what the world tries to do, it cannot take away what God has given. It is God’s joy that eternally satisfies our thirst. And it is God’s joy that feeds us and gives us strength where we are weak. With God, all things are possible.

May God continue to protect, guide and heal you as you journey in Jesus’ name.

Amen

---