His Joy

I love it when I read the Word and something jumps out at me, like I've never seen it before. (must be why Heb 4:12 says It's 'living and active') I've read Psalm 126 many, many times, but today, I decided to get a little help from my friend, C.H. Spurgeon. (Yes, he's my friend, even though I've never met him in person. I will officially meet him when I shed my earthly body and after I meet the Lord face to face!) (Oh, we have SO MANY exciting things ahead!)

Anyway, Ps 126:3 says, "The Lord has done great things for us; We are glad." Now, I am glad a lot, for which I am thankful. But, it doesn't mean I don't forget to remember all the great things He's done for me from time to time. I love Spurgeon's comment on verse 3: It is a poor modesty which is ashamed to own its joys in the Lord. Call it rather a robbery of God. Ouch! We certainly wouldn't consider not expressing our joy 'robbing God,' would we? It reminds me of Malachi 3:8, in which God says to Israel, "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings" Ok...God was talking about tithes and offerings, but how many other ways can/do we rob Him? Maybe we should start keeping track, except I suspect it might cause us to hang our heads in shame. He deserves so much more than I/we give Him...

Spurgeon also comments on verse 6: "...for when our own soul is revived the souls of others are blessed by our labours." When our soul is revived, does this not produce joy? And isn't joy infectious? Well, it's also strengthening! Yes! Nehemiah 8:10 says, "Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." WOW! I LOVE that verse! My strength doesn't come from MY joy, but from HIS! Do we often think of Him as being joyful? He is! And He wants us to be strengthened by and in HIS JOY! Isn't that a marvelous thought? How often do we connect joy to strength? I never did until I read that verse. May you experience His joy as your strength!