The Promise & The Word

The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength
By Brendalyn Crudup Martin

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

We can only glimpse eternity, within the limits of our finite understanding. Beyond that, it is our faith in the Resurrection Power of God that gives us the strength to believe in the gift of eternal salvation.

Through faith, we believe in the Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man in union with Christ Jesus.

Through faith, we believe in Jesus' prescription for our foretaste of God’s eternal love, through our own acts of loving service to one another.

Through faith, we believe in Jesus' teaching that through our works of peace and brotherhood we signify our willingness to serve God, to trust God, and to love God.

A little boy asked his dad for permission to go outside and "have a game of 'catch' with God." Dad was puzzled. "How do you play 'catch' with God?" he asked. "Easy," answered the little boy, "I just throw my ball up in the air and God throws it back!"

If we want to experience wholeness of life, we need to acknowledge that each day belongs to God. We need to trust in God with the same childlike attitude of the little boy who trusted in God to send his ball back.

The ball will come back. The sun will come up and though our problems may not all disappear; God promised that He would never leave us or forsake us. In other words, He will be with us through everything we face.

God will keep His promise to us that our life is going someplace; that life is worthwhile; that the pieces of life's puzzle will fit, ultimately ... all in God's time.

Philippians 1
1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the deacons: 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Now, when Paul wrote this, he was a prisoner under house arrest in Rome, yet he explains that we can have joy in difficult circumstances. Despite his circumstances, he holds firm to the promises of God’s Word.

12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Paul mentions joy, rejoicing and gladness in his letter to the Philippian church, even though his living conditions were less than desirable. He spent two years under house arrest in Rome. He wanted to go to Rome as a preacher, not a prisoner, but he learned to be joyful in difficult situations.

Philippian 4
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

11 . . .I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

For the two years that Paul stayed in Rome in his own rented house, he welcomed everyone who came to see him. He continued to boldly preach the kingdom of God and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

How could Paul continue to praise the Lord? Though his joy in the Lord, his strength, and his belief in God’s promises.

If something has discouraged you and you are losing faith in your ability to do what needs to be done in order to reach your full spiritual potential, then you have lost your joy. And, if you’ve lost your joy, then you’ve lost your strength and you are spiritually dead. You have blocked the God of the Living out of your life.

You notice, I said you have blocked God, not that God has deserted you. But God's Love finds a way to cross any bridge. Nothing we have done in life prevents God from giving us a new start. No mistake, no wrong decision, no wrongful act of any kind can defeat God's Will to forgive us, to bind up our wounds, to show us the way to new life, to restore our joy and strength through His love.

Especially in times of stress and turmoil, we need to put our childlike trust in God's power to restore the joy in our hearts. For some of us, it takes a long time. For others it takes an even longer time. But Jesus promises eternal salvation to those who become young enough in spirit to trust God like a little child trusts a good, loving parent. We must learn to stand on God’s promises and let His Word be our shield. For the joy of the Lord, is our strength.

© Brendalyn Crudup Martin – All Rights Reserved

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Brendalyn Crudup Martin is an Ordained Deacon in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME) and the Associate Assistant to the Rev. Felix M. Jones, Pastor of Phillips Memorial CME Church in Phoenix, AZ. She is a wife, mother and grandmother and a published writer of poetry, devotionals and personal experience articles.