Only Jesus...

As I was preparing to write this post on Christ Alone, I noticed one word kept coming up on the book, and in the scripture I read - joy.  Actually, that pretty much sums it up for me. As a famous song goes: Once I was lost and now I am found.

When I consider my life before Christ, before reading His Word regularly, there was little joy. Even though I knew who He was, it didn't matter to me. But, once my eyes and my heart were open, there was and is such joy. Not a happy, happy thing. Nor even a life is good thing, but a joy that reaches deep down.

Psalm 51:12 really captures it all for me. "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation," yes, that sums it up nicely. Then I turned to 1 John1:4 to catch a glimpse of an idea for this Bible Blast today and verse 4 struck me: "We write this to make our joy complete."  

I came upon 2 John 12, "I have much to write to you, but I don't want to use paper and ink. Instead I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete." Do you think God is trying to tell me something and maybe you too?

I rounded out my preparation time in Philippians 2:2 "...then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."

Only Jesus can fill our hearts with this type of joy. Only Jesus would put this word in front of me numerous times as I prepared to share this morning's devotion with you. Only Jesus. Could you use a healthy dose of joy this morning?  Consider it done!

Colossians 1:15-23