Word Study For Today: Luke 12:13-34.
Devotion: THE MORNING OF JOY!
Texts: 1 Samuel 1:5-27. | Genesis 21:1-8; | Psalm 113:1-9.
Joy is characteristic of the end of endurance for a believer in Christ. >Psalm 30:5b(KJV) says==>weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
What can be enduring for a tagged ‘barren’ woman than those years of her wait(that always seems endless)? >James 1;2-4(TPT) says ==>2)“My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! 3)For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. 4)And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.”
Oh wow! This is so sweet(really). Bible says “when it seems” ; this means when we feel challenges have become a permanent feature in our life, it only appears so, it is not so. Don’t see challenges as a horrid thing, but as an opportunity to experience JOY[the greatest Joy]; for when it appears tough, then the greater the JOY it brings at the end of its cycle. It’s therefore important that we develop the ability to go through every bit on the orbit. Light is only at the end of the tunnel. Ability to go through forbearing(enduring) till the end builds in us a strong faith(ability to trust God still,
notwithstanding what is going on; a proving of God’s faithfulness of sustainability). It reinforces confidence in us, such that at the end of it all we become magnet for what we want lacking and missing nothing.
The challenges and difficulties we face in life are a wrap on our JOY. If only we can peel off each onion layer of this challenge we shall get to the real deal entrenched in the many layers- i.e JOY.
Sarah and Hannah can attest to this. Sarah’s challenge went on for 25 years looking so conclusive like the story will never change. Hannah was said to go yearly to Shiloh with the same problem. Beloved what is that thing you have been going through, waiting and longing for a turn around? Count it all JOY even though your heart bleeds, yet let your countenance change. Build up your faith being assured that, the challenge is temporal.
>“Is anything too difficult or too wonderful for the LORD?…”[Genesis 18:14a AMP].
God said to Abraham >“He said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.”[Genesis 18:10 AMP].
It happened for them as the Lord had said. >1)“The LORD graciously remembered and visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for her as He had promised. 2)So Sarah conceived and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. 6)Sarah said, “God has made me laugh; all who hear [about our good news] will laugh with me.”[Genesis 21:1-2, 6 AMP].
For Hannah too, after several years of weeping and enduring Penninah’s taunt, her story changed. >“…Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her [prayer]. It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”[1 Samuel 1:19a-20 AMP].
Wow! Hannah bore as she had long desired. She sang for JOY >“Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices and triumphs in the LORD; My horn (strength) is lifted up in the LORD, My mouth has opened wide [to speak boldly] against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.”[1 Samuel 2:1 AMP].
Both Sarah and Hannah have proven God. Many other believers too have proven that our God is true. His word says > “God’s grace provides for the barren ones a joyful home with children so that even childless couples find a family. He makes them happy parents surrounded by their pride and joy. That’s the God we praise, so give it all to him!”[Psalms 113:9 TPT].
Awesome!
The JOY that awaits us at the end of the tunnel of endurance is not restricted to the wait for the fruit of the womb, it’s the sure banker in God for every difficulty we face and endure in Him. Loose not hope. >“But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.”[Isaiah 40:31 AMP].
Those who endure in Christ(who wait on Him), get their strength renewed, they don’t go weary… it turns out for them the greatest JOY. For weeping may(likely) endure for a night but at the end of it all, morning breaks forth and with it comes a season of great rejoicing.
Prayer Action:
-Sing songs of thanksgiving to God.
-Pray in the language of His grace for 15 minutes.
-Ask for the grace to endure through the night season[of whatever difficulty or challenge] the Lord allows you to go through.
-Call on GOD saying and trusting MY MORNING OF JOY HAS COME!!!
- WEEPING IS ONLY FOR THE NIGHT, MORNING COMES WITH JOY!
