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AUGUST 3
JOY IN OUR NOW
“How that in a great trial
of affliction the abundance
of their joy and their deep
poverty abounded unto the
riches of their liberality.”
(2 Cor. 8:2).
We read of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that “for the joy
that was set before Him,” He
endured the cross, and
despised its shame. (Heb.
12:2). Of that tremendous
joy which awaits us, when we
shall “enter into the joy of
our Lord,” after having run
this race, we have had but a
glimmer.
The glories to be revealed
are such that all present
realms fade into
insignificance. So be it we
shall with patience await
that day. But it is not all
future, for the Kingdom of
God is within us, though in
part, and His Kingdom is
“not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace,
AND JOY in the holy Spirit.”
(Rom. 14:17). Thus there is
joy for our NOW, even while
we are in a great trial of
affliction – there can be an
abundance of joy.
Certainly, “no chastening
for the present seemeth to
be joyous, but grievous:
nevertheless afterwards it
yieldeth the peaceable fruit
of righteousness unto them
which are exercised
thereby.” (Heb. 12:11). The
various disciplines that are
a part of our NOW, alongside
of us right now, are being
used to process us into
maturity. And, “I reckon
that the sufferings of the
present time (Greek, of the
NOW) are not worthy to be
compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in
us.” (Rom. 8:18).
“And here we take our stand,
in happy certainty of the
glorious things He has for
us in the future. This does
not mean, of course, that we
have only a hope of future
joys – WE CAN BE FULL OF JOY
HERE AND NOW even in our
trials and troubles. Taken
in the right spirit these
very things will give us
patient endurance; this in
turn will develop a mature
character, and a character
of this sort produces a
steady hope, a hope that
will never disappoint us.”
(Romans 5:2-5, Phillips).
“The fruit of the Spirit is
love, JOY…” (Gal. 5:22). His
Spirit now abiding within
produces an abundance of Joy
in the midst of the trial,
for He helps us to have a
right spirit towards all
these processing’s. Trials
of the NOW are balanced by
His joy for our NOW. Praise
God!
Ray Prinzing |
