Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Maintain the Joy!

"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:12 (NIV)

My daughter, Evie, had her first day of Nursing School yesterday. I called her to see how her class went, and she was just jubilant! She loved it! She was talking so fast I could hardly process what she was saying. She has a great advisor! She knows a couple of girls in her clinical group! She can't wait for labs and clinicals!! There was more...but I don't need to recount it all for you. Just know, the girl was excited!

It just made me to smile...to know that my baby girl has found her calling, to know that God has gifted her to minister to others, and that she has found the place where all that can be realized. Then I lifted a prayer for her, that when the day comes and the work gets tough...or the task gets yucky...or the patient is unappreciative...or she just gets tired...that whatever happens, she'll remember the calling, remember the joy.

That caused me to think about the sermon I heard on Sunday evening. The pastor was reading from Revelation 2:4 and talking about the danger of losing our "first love." At the point of salvation, there is an indescribable joy that we just want to share with others. We could just bubble over with it. But as we walk the pathways of life, sometimes we forget that joy...perhaps can't even find that joy...no longer share with others about that joy.

That's when we need to trigger that memory. We need to get into His Word and be reminded of His unfailing love. (Do you know that in just a quick search, I found 26 times in the book of Psalms the mention of God's unfailing love!?!?!?!) That's tremendous encouragement! We need to remember that "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed (no matter what life throws our way), for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is [His] faithfulness." There is no limit to His love, His compassion, His mercies, His grace, His forgiveness. And do you know what else there is no limit to? The Holy Spirit within us (John 3:34)! And do you know what the second fruit of the Spirit is? JOY!!! Let's maintain the joy through His Word!

Our precious Heavenly Father, thank you for your unfailing love! We ask that You "restore to [us] the joy of Your salvation"! And please sustain that joy by Your Spirit within us and through Your Word to us! Draw us to Yourself...don't allow us to forget the thrill of our "first love." And don't ever let us forget that You loved us first!

5 comments:

Jeannie said...

How can it be that little Evie is all grown up and in nursing school?
Wasn't it just yesterday she was looking out our bay window and marveling at the "gwirrels" in the back yard?

Love you!

Jean said...

Joy -

It's found in serving others & in serving God.

It's found in knowing & fulfilling the purposes for which God created us.

Looks like Evie is well on her way to living a life of joy.

Grace & Peace,
Jean

Wendy Pope said...

I always find in encouragement in your words.
Thank you for the reminder of His amazing steadfast, unfailing love.
I am thrilled for Evie!
Love you Sis

Erin Grey said...

i have a special prayer in my heart for evie as well :) keeping the joy through a challenging career choice is almost a job in itself... thanks for the happy words today, oh friend of mine :) loves~

monica said...

Girlfriend it was so good to see you last night, As a single parent of four joy can be hard to find. You reminded me I don't have to Find it, it's always there!! God is good. Thanks for being willing to be an encourager last night. You were awesome. Can't believe Evie is in college. Wow where does the time go.