Word of the Week

12/5/09

I am holding you by your right hand--I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I am here to help your. …I am the Lord, your Redeemer. …And the joy of the Lord will fill you to overflowing.’ Isaiah 41:13, 16b (NLT)

Comfort and joy. Awesome God. Remover of fear. Defender. Mighty God. Strength for our weakness. Victorious Savior. Precious Redeemer. Worthy of all praise and honor and glory forever. God is so personal in the midst of our lives. He, Himself, takes us by the hand and tells us to trust Him completely and to give Him all our fears. He alone is all we need. He is right here with us, not afar off. He is here to help us right now, not at some distant time in the future. He has redeemed us by Jesus’ blood. The promise is that the joy of the Lord will fill us to overflowing. This joy does not depend on our circumstances or our emotions. It is the joy of the Lord. It is ours in such abundance that we will be filled completely and overflowing, spilling over on those around us.

Every Christian can have that assurance of God’s presence and help, that childlike faith and trust in our Father so that we can fully rest in Him and be filled with the overflowing joy of the Lord.

PRAYER: Dear God, Fill me with that overflowing joy and be so near that I can feel my hand in Yours and hear Your voice quieting my fears and helping me. May I truly experience that joy of the Lord.