Day 23 - 40 Days of JOY
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of JOY
Day 23 | SONGS OF JOY
40 Days of JOY
Day 23 | SONGS OF JOY
SONGS OF JOY
Psalm 126:5-6
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”
Have you ever argued with someone dear to you? Maybe a brother or sister or spouse? And just maybe… you were wrong?
What fixed it? What healed the relationship?
It usually starts with admitting you were wrong—an apology, asking for forgiveness, sincerely, from the heart.
If the other person cares at all, he or she will offer forgiveness and then the relationship can begin complete healing.
It’s like that with our heavenly Father.
When we are wrong, when we “miss the mark,” when we sin, there is a chasm between Him and us.
These verses from Psalm 126 were likely written after the Babylonian captivity and expressed – in tears – their remorse, apology, and asking forgiveness from God.
God is faithful and WILL forgive all trespasses. “If we confess our sins, He is just and able to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
When we demonstrate to the LORD the acknowledgment of our sin and our sincere desire for forgiveness, HE will forgive us and restore our relationship with HIM so that we can “reap songs of joy!”
Remember that our Heavenly Father loves us and – like any good earthly father – wants to have a good, unfettered relationship with each of us… His children. (Remember: He is “Our Father who art in heaven.”) But remember… though our natural selves want JOY without any tears (whether real or just attitudinal), it doesn’t work that way with the LORD GOD of the universe. Without forgiveness, there can be no real JOY.
Prayer: LORD, help me see when and where I miss YOUR holy mark, and help me be honest and bold enough to confess those sins and THEN to look to you for restored JOY. Amen.
Psalm 126:5-6
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”
Have you ever argued with someone dear to you? Maybe a brother or sister or spouse? And just maybe… you were wrong?
What fixed it? What healed the relationship?
It usually starts with admitting you were wrong—an apology, asking for forgiveness, sincerely, from the heart.
If the other person cares at all, he or she will offer forgiveness and then the relationship can begin complete healing.
It’s like that with our heavenly Father.
When we are wrong, when we “miss the mark,” when we sin, there is a chasm between Him and us.
These verses from Psalm 126 were likely written after the Babylonian captivity and expressed – in tears – their remorse, apology, and asking forgiveness from God.
God is faithful and WILL forgive all trespasses. “If we confess our sins, He is just and able to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
When we demonstrate to the LORD the acknowledgment of our sin and our sincere desire for forgiveness, HE will forgive us and restore our relationship with HIM so that we can “reap songs of joy!”
Remember that our Heavenly Father loves us and – like any good earthly father – wants to have a good, unfettered relationship with each of us… His children. (Remember: He is “Our Father who art in heaven.”) But remember… though our natural selves want JOY without any tears (whether real or just attitudinal), it doesn’t work that way with the LORD GOD of the universe. Without forgiveness, there can be no real JOY.
Prayer: LORD, help me see when and where I miss YOUR holy mark, and help me be honest and bold enough to confess those sins and THEN to look to you for restored JOY. Amen.