Bible Studies
Psalm 16:11 – “You will show to me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures forever more.”
In God’s Presence
Every person who has ever lived has pursued pleasure, happiness, and joy to the best of their ability. There are as many different pursuits as there are people to pursue, but in the end they all let us down except one. Through His word, God reveals to us the path of life – it is life in Him (John 14:6, 17:3). Any pleasures that we pursue apart from God and away from the boundaries He has placed on them will leave us empty and will destroy us in the end. But in God is true joy. We were created to be in relationship with Him and as long as that relationship is broken, we will never find real joy. We may find brief moments of joy but they will slip through our fingers and all the more as we desperately try to cling to them. Yet what joy is found when we have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18). Suddenly we know that this what we were made for and we are filled with joy being in His presence for we know in an intimate and experiential way that God loves us more than we can imagine and that God delights in us (Psalm 147:11) and rejoices over us (Zephaniah 3:17). We find joy in God Himself.
For those He has redeemed, it is God’s presence that brings joy because of His love and it is this that is heaven. All things that anyone has ever imagined heaven to be would feel empty if God’s loving presence were out of reach. Any child of God could never be content with a perfect world absent the constant presence of God. That we could ever think that such a thing were even possible shows how little we know of God. There is no good apart from Him (James 1:17). Any time you truly enjoy something in it’s right and proper form, you are enjoying God. It is because of Him that there are things worth enjoying and that you are able to enjoy them. For those who think that heaven will be boring – you know even less about God. If we can enjoy this life, flawed and shot through with evil and pain and death as it is, how much more will we enjoy perfection when we are perfect along with everyone and everything around us. Heaven will be the ultimate and final adventure.
Point to Ponder
Have you experienced fullness of joy in God’s presence? If not, perhaps there are still sins that you are clinging to which mar the relationship or perhaps you have never received His forgiveness and entered into that relationship. If you do not know Him, make that decision right now for, “now is the time of God’s favor, today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)”. You will never find the happiness that you are looking for apart from Him because you were made for Him (Romans 11:36) and will never find rest without Him (Matthew 11:28). He is what you are looking for.
Let us pray, “Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your death on the cross which paid for our sins that You might bring us to You and through You to the Father. Thank You for Your promise of eternal life – to know You (John 17:3). I receive Your forgiveness and Your righteousness. Help me to know You and to live for You. Grant me joy in Your loving presence forever (Psalm 16:11). May You be glorified in me and through me forever, for You alone are worthy. Make me Yours and keep me close (Jude 1:24). Turn me from the wrong way and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:24). Live in me by Your Holy Spirit and make me new (2nd Cor. 5:17) . I ask this by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.”
See these songs: Forever and Forever, Heaven is You
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