True Joy

Our scripture for today is Psalms 71:23.

“My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you – I whom you have redeemed.”

I have a powerful memory of the first time I truly and profoundly knew the feeling of complete JOY brought on by the full acceptance of this Redemption—this amazing gift, this FREE gift from God!

Now, I was long a skeptic—doubting, wondering, and questioning what I had been taught as a child. I wanted to believe in God’s LOVE but living with the disturbing memories of abuse at the hand of my earthly father; I had great fear and doubt about the unseen heavenly father.  Words about the vengeful, murderous acts from the Old Testament seemed more like my image of a Father than the image Jesus gave us about his loving Father, his Abba. 

But I hoped his Abba was real.  So, I decided to search for Him.  I began by reading the Bible for myself – the whole Bible; every word.  I read it not once but many times.  And I prayed over what I read there.  I began to find answers.  I started to pray not only by beseeching God, but to pray by listening for God. Answers started to form.  Grace was FREE!  But I almost couldn’t believe it!

Then one day at a weekend Christian retreat, following a workshop on forgiveness and the LOVE of God, I had a very personal encounter with Jesus!

I was sitting alone on the steps in a small, quiet, empty theater - at the end of a powerful presentation on forgiveness.  I pondered the hurt inflicted upon me by my Father in my childhood, and I became completely convinced that I must let go of that resentment and the fear that had bound me so long.  I prayed.  I begged God to forgive me for my hatred and to release me from my fear.  I cried and poured out my heart to God. I asked God to help me to forgive my Daddy.

Then I sat in the near darkness of that small theater and thanked God for his LOVE, for his forgiveness, for the lessons I was learning.  The Peace I felt following that prayer seemed like a blanket, enwrapping me, swaddling me.  And slowly I realized that I was not alone in the dark.  I could feel the presence of someone sitting beside me on the steps.

I could almost feel an arm resting around my shoulders and I heard these words – “You are forgiven.  You are LOVED.  You are mine!” 

Praise God - I know Jesus was the one sitting beside me on those steps that day.  I felt his LOVE and I believed in His Faithful, Loving Father, with all my heart, soul, and mind.  I still do and always will!  He is alive.  God is LOVE!  And my lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to Him – to Him who redeemed us!

Let’s pray.

Dear God, draw us to seek you, help us to find you, and fill us with joy that makes us sing as we awaken to your redemption!  Amen!

Today’s podcast was written and read by Bernice Howard.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.