#569 Finding Joy: The Joy Set Before Us Part 1
“...let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Ever since this past Memorial, as a result of pondering these verses in Hebrews, I think that the Lord has given me a specific theme in my spiritual life. That theme is “finding joy.” It’s my name, and when anyone hears this, we joke, “Joy is wherever you are.” “You can’t really get away from Joy, can you?” But there is a challenge in my life, and maybe in yours also. And that is to find joy—the joy of the LORD, everywhere, despite the challenge, despite the appearance of impossibility, despite the times when things don’t seem to make sense. And to find and identify with who we really are in Christ—even if your name is not “Joy.” !!!
The joy set before our Precious Savior was his continual focus. “I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices…” Psalm 16:7-8
“For the joy that was set before 4285 him:” Notice the correspondence with the phrase in Hebrews 6:18, “the hope set before 4295 us.” “…so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.” Our Heavenly Father made great effort to show us the sureness of His Promise to Abraham. He promised, and He swore by Himself, “because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you , and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…” Genesis 22:16-18 And this hope of deliverance of and through the spiritual and earthly seed of Abraham becomes the anchor and stability of our spiritual life! Hebrews 6:19
May we choose to exalt our God and Father by the continual focus and conviction that never loses sight of the joy and hope that is set before us, making it possible to find His joy in whatever Cup He chooses to pour. For it is a Cup of Blessing, a Cup we thank Him for,
(1 Corinthians 10:16) a Cup of experience that results in our own deliverance as well as our part in the deliverance of our weary human family soon to come!
“I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices…” Psalm 16:7-8
“...let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Ever since this past Memorial, as a result of pondering these verses in Hebrews, I think that the Lord has given me a specific theme in my spiritual life. That theme is “finding joy.” It’s my name, and when anyone hears this, we joke, “Joy is wherever you are.” “You can’t really get away from Joy, can you?” But there is a challenge in my life, and maybe in yours also. And that is to find joy—the joy of the LORD, everywhere, despite the challenge, despite the appearance of impossibility, despite the times when things don’t seem to make sense. And to find and identify with who we really are in Christ—even if your name is not “Joy.” !!!
The joy set before our Precious Savior was his continual focus. “I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices…” Psalm 16:7-8
“For the joy that was set before 4285 him:” Notice the correspondence with the phrase in Hebrews 6:18, “the hope set before 4295 us.” “…so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.” Our Heavenly Father made great effort to show us the sureness of His Promise to Abraham. He promised, and He swore by Himself, “because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you , and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…” Genesis 22:16-18 And this hope of deliverance of and through the spiritual and earthly seed of Abraham becomes the anchor and stability of our spiritual life! Hebrews 6:19
May we choose to exalt our God and Father by the continual focus and conviction that never loses sight of the joy and hope that is set before us, making it possible to find His joy in whatever Cup He chooses to pour. For it is a Cup of Blessing, a Cup we thank Him for,
(1 Corinthians 10:16) a Cup of experience that results in our own deliverance as well as our part in the deliverance of our weary human family soon to come!
“I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices…” Psalm 16:7-8
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