4 Minute Read

TODAY’S BIBLE READING:

Leviticus 15:1–16:28
Mark 7:1-23
Psalm 40:11-17
Proverbs 10:13-14

TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Psalm 40:16 (CSB): “Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation continually say, ‘The LORD is great!'”

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Our Verse for Today, like hundreds of others verses in the Bible, make it clear that there is a deep-seated happiness that can be ours to enjoy when we are enjoying our God.

If you read the context of Psalm 40, you’ll see that David was battling with guilt from personal sin, the threat of injustice from his enemies, and other such things. So, it is against the backdrop of this ugliness that David is wanting to enjoy his God.

How can we enjoy our God?

Well, anytime I think about enjoying my God, my mind always goes back to a week-long experience that I had in 1995. The joy I had in my Lord was like none I had ever experienced … or have ever experienced since then. There have been plenty of times when I have been happy in my Lord, but the Spring of 1995 was the most profound. You can read about it here.

From that experience, I learned some things about how it is that we can enjoy our God. Let me keep this short and just give some bullet points:

  • Ask God to graciously reach out to you by revealing the wonder of His glories to you (Exodus 33:18).
  • Ask God to enable you to see how vile your sin really is, even the small, seemingly insignificant sins.
  • Ask God to give you a love for His Word, the Bible … and then spend much time reading it. Cut out as much media, and other forms of entertainment, as possible for a few days and spend that time reading and absorbing God’s Word.
  • Consider fasting for a few days (with a doctor’s permission) to remind yourself that you really only need God and His Word (Matthew 4:1-4).
  • As you read God’s Word and the Holy Spirit brings your sins to mind, confess them in a very heartfelt way. Don’t whimsically ask God to forgive you of all of your sins. Be specific. See those sins as a cancer, a poisonous toxin in your body that needs to be eradicated.
  • As you journey through each day, look for the Lord’s fingerprints. Make it your goal to look around you at what the Lord is doing. And then offer up silent prayers of thanksgiving and praise.
  • In the power of the Holy Spirit, live intentionally in submission to the Lord (James 4:7). Live with a “yes” on your lips before you even know what the Lord will lead you to do. If a sin comes to mind, your answer is “yes” and you are going to confess it to the Lord and forsake it immediately. If an unreconciled relationship comes to mind, your answer is “yes” and you will do your part to make it right. If you sense God calling you to prayer, your answer is “yes” and you will find a place and time to pray as soon as possible. Etc.

Essentially, I’ve shared nothing new. You know all of these things. These are basic to Christian living. But, all too often we neglect the basic Christian disciplines and mindsets and lose out on the joy of the Lord as a result.

I hope this list has helped. As you consider implementing the principles I have provided, may you and I, like David, say:

Psalm 40:16 (CSB): “Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation continually say, ‘The LORD is great!'”

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