(By Rachel Joyce)
This week I’ve been enjoying the truth of Psalm 16:11, that in His presence is fullness of joy. These words of David are also recorded in the book of Acts. They were quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost. The Christians had just been filled with the Holy Spirit and were being mocked by the unbelievers, but Peter who, when our Lord was being interrogated, tried to blend in with the unbelieving crowds and denied his Lord, now took a stand with the eleven disciples and spoke words of life that pierced the hearts of those who were mocking, and three thousand souls trusted the Saviour.
How gracious our God is! Even when we fail, He does not turn His back on us. He extends grace and gives us opportunities to honor Him, even when we’ve made a mess of things in the past. He cleanses, restores, and makes new.
Included in the gospel which Peter preached that day were these words, ”You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence” (Act 2:28). Peter had known the sorrow of betraying His Lord, but he also knew the overwhelming relief of forgiveness and the joy of God’s presence.
So my question this morning is, how much do we know that joy? What effect does His presence have on us? We have His Holy Spirit in us and walk in the light of His presence every day, but are we actually living in the appreciation of that? Does His presence fill us with gladness or are we too full of other things? I pray that we will so enjoy His presence that we will be marked by His joy today.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).
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