Living Joy

Training for Today: Run 10 miles (last long run before race day!)

Devotion: Living Joy

This week, we’ve been reflecting on the theme, “My heart rejoices in your salvation.” What does the word “rejoice” mean to you? What does it look like to rejoice? Are you ready to rejoice? These are a few of the questions that we’ll work through in our devotion today.


In terms of the meaning of the word “rejoice”, technically it means to feel joy. While it may be difficult to think of your loss and experience joy at the same time, this week’s verse challenges you to look beyond your loss to the empty cross. The grieving person’s joy will never be found again if her eyes focus in on the loss itself. Rather, the grieving person finds joy when her eyes lift toward the cross and fixate on its full meaning:

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel” (Colossians 1:21-23).

Yes, the empty cross is the source of your joy, because it is the source of your salvation! But what does it look like to rejoice? The second part of our devotion today will focus on living the joy we have in Christ. Check out some of the behaviors associated with living joy in Scripture:

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).

“Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy” (Psalm 47:1).

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs” (Psalm 100:2).

“Sing for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel” (Isaiah 44:23).

Have you responded to God’s grace in your life with joy? Are you living joyfully as a servant of the Almighty? If so, keep leaping for joy, clapping your hands, shouting, singing, and worshiping the Lord with gladness! If not, pray that the Lord would grant you a rich measure of the Holy Spirit, to fill you with the joy that comes from knowing you are saved through Jesus Christ.

Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive me for turning my eyes inward and dwelling on the trials and frustrations of this world. Lift my eyes to the cross, that I may experience the joy of your salvation. May my life be a joyful response to your love! Amen.