The Joy of the Lord

I went to BSF tonight.  We had a fellowship before the study began and were informally sharing some things.  One member quoted Dr. Erwin Lutzer: "When God gives a command it is so your joy may be made complete."  I was some stunned by that.  I've been choosing rebellion and refusing to spend quality time with the Lord.  Yet I wanted joy.  How foolish for me to think that I can get joy through my own devices and not through the commandments of God. I've been preferring broken cisterns rather than the true God.  Jeremiah rightly warned: "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water." It certainly is a desolate place. Such unbelief hinders the Spirit of God and hampers any witness of Jesus Christ.

James 4: 8-10 gives much hope. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."  So does the whole of the Old Testament. We are studying Genesis in BSF and II Samuel in Sunday School. Both books display a gracious and merciful God ready to forgive even the sins of murder and adultery.  What a Savior we have!   What a loving Father who undertakes to discipline us so that the fruit of righteousness may be made clear in our lives.