Marching Forward With Joy -Day 7
Beloved, shout and sing for joy. So the writer of Isaiah declares. The Holy One of Israel is in the midst of our lives just as he was in Israel of the Old Testament.
Read with me Isaish 12: 1-6.
In that day you will say:
“I will praise you, Lord.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
and you have comforted me.
2 Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense[a];
he has become my salvation.”
3 With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.4 In that day you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Lesson 1 from verse 2 is that when hard times come, we always choose whether to trust God or to become fearful. No matter how overwhelming your circumstances, trusting Him is the right choice. Faith gives us the ability to see what God sees. Therefore, do not fear. Instead, be confident that the Lord will be your defense.
Lesson 2 from verse 3 is Our salvation should give us joy every day, not merely in the period immediately following our conversion. God’s salvation is not about eternal life only, but about an abundant life right now.
Do you turn to the Lord in hard times and have joy because of your salvation?
