The Joy No Words Can Tell

Thursday, April 20, 2023

You love him even though you have never seen him.  Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.  The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.  This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.  They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.  They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you.  And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.  It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.  1 Peter 1:8-12

There is much about life that is indescribable with just words.  It’s something like seeing something so funny, but when you try to retell the story there’s no way to recapture the moment with mere words.  Have you ever used the phrase:  Well, you would have to see it for yourself?  I believe the kind of joy Apostle Peter was writing about is just that… “unspeakable…full of God’s glory.”

Today is our first grandchild’s birthday.  She’s the upside-down one in the picture, taken when we got to have most of our grands in one place at one time.  

Her smile helps understand how you can’t explain extreme happiness. 

I was there when Chelsea was born.  For many months I was anxious, nervous, and wondering what it would be like to be a Grandpa.  It was like an extended version of Christmas Eve….you know it’s going to be good, but you still haven’t got a clue.  Then it happens, and you know life will never be the same again.

Peter wrote to believers who had never laid eyes on Jesus, yet the Apostle knew of their love for the Savior, and how they trusted their past, present, and eternity to the Lord’s keeping.  And it brought them unbounded, unending joy!  That’s a lot of words nobody can understand, unless they have been there.

For You Today 

If you have trusted Christ with your life, and invited Him to be your Lord, all of today’s devotion makes perfect sense.  If you’ve not yet trusted Jesus, I could write a ton of books about it all, and the rejoicing it brings to your heart, and you would still not truly see the joy your heart will know, when you know Him. 

It’s something like watching someone else bite into a wonderfully fresh apple, or peach…all their words about how wonderful it tastes still leaves you wondering.  Words are no substitute for personal experience.  The Psalmist said it best:

Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Psalm 34:8a

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper explore some of these:   Rottweiler Joy  and  Joy Unspeakable  and   Better Than Baby Toes 

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

Hanging-in There...or Just Hanging?

[1]

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

I pray to you, O Lord, my rock.  Do not turn a deaf ear to me.  For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die.  Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

Praise the Lord!  For he has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and shield.  I trust him with all my heart.  He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.  I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. 

Psalm 28:1-2, 6-7^(NLT)

David went through rough waters in his lifetime, some of his own making, and some just because…well, you know, stuff happens!  Either way, when the stuff you’re going through gets deep enough, if you haven’t been praying, you will start! 

David was a praying man, so I rather believe he was like my sister in Christ, Donna, who once told me she never had to say “Amen” because she had so much to pray about, the conversation between her and Jesus never closed down.  God takes note of that!

The disciples waited until the storm got really scary:

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.  Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”  Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid?  You have so little faith!”  Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.  The disciples were amazed.  “Who is this man?” they asked.  “Even the winds and waves obey him!” 

Matthew 8:23-27^(NLT)

The difference between hanging-in there and just hanging, is the difference between David’s calm trust, and the disciples’ frantic, panicky yelps!  David states his fate is in God’s hands, and he would trust the LORD completely.  The disciples were incredulously shouting their disbelief over the noise of the waves.

I try to remember that.

I’m in a bit of deep water at the moment, so the difference between hanging and hanging-in there, is a matter I cannot ignore.  When I saw the picture my friend Anne posted of her Grandson David posed in one of his balancing feats, it immediately struck me that he was really chilling-out, and that, mostly, because he was only 3” off the floor.  There’s a difference when you can’t fall far.

But that’s the whole issue about hanging-in; even when you can fall as far as the grave, if you’re willing to trust like David, the outcome is not an issue; the issue is just WHO is the one doing the balancing act. 

As many have found out, it makes little difference how deep or rough the waters may get when you’re in the boat with Jesus (or even walking ON the water with Him).

For You Today

Hanging-in, or Hung-out to dry…just make sure to breathe…Jesus has this!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

---

[1] Title Image:  Courtesy Anne Mehrling and Grandson David