Your Daily Devotional for June 3, 2007

 

June 3,  2007

 

 

Joy in Christ

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

 

John 15:11

 

 

In John 15 we see Christ talking to His disciples before He was to be crucified. As Jesus shared this discourse, He was walking with his disciples to the garden of Gethsemane. Because it was around the time of Passover, there would have been a full moon overhead which must have created a solemn attitude among the disciples.

 

In the past few hours, Jesus had told them many serious things. He told them that He would go away and prepare a place for them; the Holy Spirit would comfort them; they were to abide in Him; they would be purged by the Father; and that if they loved Him, they would keep His commandments. These were serious matters for the disciples to remember. There must have been a meditating and pondering on these things as the disciples walked with Christ.

 

Yet the Lord says in our verse today that He would give them joy as they obeyed these commands. He told them that as long as they remained steadfast in Him, His joy would remain in them. That promise was not only for the disciples, but it is for us today as well! As we remain faithful to what Christ has called us to do, He will give us joy.

 

Sometimes people and situations can rob us of our joy, but as we abide in Christ each day through time with Him, He will replenish our joy. As Christians we should be known as joyful people. Yet sometimes we can lose our joy during difficult times. We must daily ask Christ to help us keep our joy throughout the day!

 

C.S Lewis once said, "Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures…like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

 

Christ offers us His joy and happiness yet many times we let the little things of this world replace that joy in our lives. Christ's joy is far greater than any temporary happiness or pleasure of this world! And He offers this joy to us each day! We must not let other people or situations prevent us from having Christ's joy in our lives.

 

Do you have Christ's joy in your life? Friend, Christ wants us all to have His joy. We must obey His commands and spend time with Him each day if we wish to have His joy. Spend time with God right now and ask Him to fill you with His joy as you live for Him.

 

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 19-20 • John 13:21-38

 

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