Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

With joy you will draw water
    from the wells of salvation.

• Isaiah 12:3

Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

• Habakkuk 3:17-18

Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.

• Psalm 35:9

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

• Psalm 51:12

“Joy is a natural result of being brought into a right relationship with God. It is one of the blessings of salvation. Consider these Scriptures: [The Scriptures shown above]
“Joy is a birthright for children of God. He expects, even commands, us to rejoice as a way of life: …”

• Bishop Donald Downing, Hidden Treasures of the Heart

I have written and talked about my Christian testimony from the standpoint of pursuing Joy.  Between my sophomore and junior years of high school, I moved back to my old hometown and the other people at the school were on fire for Jesus.  They had this everlasting Joy and I wanted it.  Over the next fourteen months, I said the salvation prayer over 500 times, probably because I said it every night before bed, waking up the next morning even more depressed.  When I said the prayer several times each day, and quite often, 500 times is a low estimate.

I have mentioned it many times that God wants a total surrender, an unconditional surrender.  At least that is what it took for me.

But the passage from Habakkuk above might not make sense to someone who does not understand.  Once you have Jesus in your heart, situations may wreck your happiness, but you still have that inner Joy, knowing that you are in God’s hands.

With Christmas approaching, I am sure you have heard songs about Joy.  I thought this short note might be a good one to think about.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.