Joy?
How can we possibly find any joy right now? How can we find joy when anger, pain, fear, and personal troubles seem to escalate weekly?
My heart has wearied this week, yet He beckons me through this Scripture.
God’s song in the night
You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel (Is. 30:29 ESV).
It’s His promise. We shall have a song in the night. We shall have a song in the darkness.
It’s a song led by another. The song is quiet, led by a gentle flute sound, guiding His children through stumbly and dangerous night hours to the mountain of the Lord.
Yet even a quiet flute song pierces through darkness!
The destination of this journey? It’s the Lord and His presence! Looking forward to being with Him gives us a song as we walk!
Isaiah 30 points us to Jesus
Doesn’t Isaiah 30’s context sound familiar right now? God’s sinful and rebellious people were looking for hope, but trusting protection and security from sources other than God. They weren’t seeking God’s wisdom and didn’t want to hear the hard words from God (2 Tim. 4:3-4). It was indeed a dark time of His coming judgment.
And yet, our unchanging God of grace, mercy, and justice called to His people. Where do His grace, mercy, and justice meet, for us now?
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him (Is. 30:18).
Let’s both sing God’s song into this week’s darkness, journeying to the cross of Christ. They were waiting for Him and He has come to us. Over the next two weeks, let’s reflect on Isaiah 30 and God’s promises, during what feels like a similar time of darkness and rebellion. But on this side of the cross, we’re journeying with hope in Christ who fulfills all of Isaiah’s promises for God’s grace, mercy, and justice.
So…could there be joy in the journey? In His promises?
God’s song in the whole journey, now and forever
For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you (Is. 30:19 ESV).
God promises He hears our cries in today’s journey of suffering and He answers us with His grace.
And one day? By His grace, He promises those in Christ will dwell with Him forever in His restored new heaven and earth, with no more weeping.
You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you (Jn. 16:22).
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God, my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.
(“Standing on the Promises,” Carter, R. K., 1886)
God’s song of guidance in a suffering journey
As we walk toward that day in this time of affliction, the Lord promises to guide us by His indwelling Spirit, moment by moment. He’s teaching us, leading us, helping us understand His Word, and helping us to walk in His way as He grows good fruit in us…in and through this suffering journey.
Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left (Is. 30:20-21).
This is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit (Mt. 13:23 ESV).
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
The Lord’s song of a transformed heart
The Lord promises to give us the desire to hear and obey Him, responding to His glorious love as He transforms us (Is. 30:22).
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mk. 12:30-31 ESV).
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my All in All,
Standing on the promises of God.
A playlist of His songs for the dark journey
Beloved in Christ, He is transforming us, little by little, on this dark journey and in these dark times. GOD is the One leading us, changing us. What a promise we can cling to!
This week, my playlist gift is filled with songs to help us pray for Him to fill us with joy on that journey, all the way to His glorious end. We sing God’s promises to us as believers in Christ. We praise Him for His grace, mercy, and justice found in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Lord.
If the dark journey seems silent and joyless, I pray this playlist will give you Christ-exalting songs in the night this week.
And maybe, even His joy!
These songs have been His gifts of grace to me and I can’t wait to share them with you in this hard time. Sign up here if you’d like to receive my gift in your email, as we walk together in His encouragement.
2 Comments
Sandra Arbeni · September 22, 2021 at 10:28 am
It’s amazing how I’ve been in the valley for some time now but, oh, I have pure joy.
I could go on and on but I’ll leave it here.
It’s thrilling.
Lauri Hogle · September 24, 2021 at 11:24 am
Me too, dear sister. Me too. In Christ, in what He has done for us, joy bubbles over into the darkest valley. It’s truly amazing, His gift of grace to all who are believers. Hallelujah to our glorious Lord for the person and work of Jesus!
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