Sustaining Joy

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night when my thoughts trouble me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:5-11

Laura’s post last week on Psalm 37 had me suddenly seeing verses all over the Psalms in which God promises to hold our hands and be with us throughout the journey of our time on earth. One of my favorite passages on this comes from Psalm 16, which is a masterpiece of God’s love for us. In this psalm we enter into the intimate relationship between David and God: David takes the truth God speaks lovingly to his heart and repeats it as a form of worship. It is a beautiful example of the spectacular reality that God invites us into a relationship with him. 

The past two weeks God has been using this psalm to speak to my soul the truth that He will not ever abandon me, and regardless of my circumstances, I can experience the vast expanses of true joy daily found in the presence of God because of the work of Christ. 

There is a lie that has been seeking to destroy this incredible opportunity for life and joy in the presence of God since the beginning of our rebellion: “God is holding out on me. God is keeping something good from me intentionally, resisting giving me something I deserve…” Have you ever heard the whisper of this sinister lie? It is the same lie the enemy spoke to Eve in the garden. 

When we are tempted to drown in lies, we always have the option to put on our Jesus life jacket instead! Here are some truths I wrote down from Psalm 16 the day my position with a company was suddenly eliminated: 

The Truth is God alone is my portion and my cup; He makes the rules in my heart and in my life. He is my security when life feels very uncertain. 

The Truth is the boundary lines in this current season have fallen for me in pleasant places. God knows exactly what I need in this season and has not withheld anything from me He considers necessary (Psalm 84:11). I can trust Him in seasons of feasting and fasting. 

The Truth is God has not and will not abandon me. He is directing my every step, even the ones I did not anticipate. I can get up and do what He made me to do even on anxious days because I rest firmly and securely in God’s hand. 

To be fully satisfied in Christ is our steadfast aim, especially while unloading the dishwasher, on our commutes, chipping away at the assignment/paper/project, serving the difficult patient or client, helping the new person next to you in your workout class… We can live fully satisfied in His presence day by day, in every area and season of life. He loves sustaining His daughters by his joy! 

Oh, Lord, our hearts overflow with love for you! We know how to love because you first loved us. Help us put on our life jackets of truth when we feel as if we are drowning in lies. Thank you for giving us everything we need and sustaining us by your spectacular presence. Amen!

~Emma

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