When we do as Jesus advised us in yesterday’s verse, remain in His love and walk in obedience, there is a natural offshoot: Jesus finds joy in us, and we find joy, as well. People who commit crimes and run instead of facing the consequences always have to look over their shoulders, wondering when the law will catch up to them. When we keep Jesus’s commands, we don’t have the burden of wondering when judgment will come. We can live free of self-recrimination. We can experience a joy that comes from being in right relationship with the One who created us, sacrificed for us, and knows us intimately. Joy, true joy that satisfies our souls, is found in obedience to Him.
You May Also Like
Contentment
Contentment is something that seems to be in short supply in our world. Our culture doesn’t encourage contentment, but instead pushes us to think we need the newest and biggest and most expensive to be happy. But true contentment—the kind of contentment Paul is referencing from his prison cell—is found…
Declaring God reigns
Verses 6-8 mentions Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as priests who called upon the LORD on behalf of the rebellious people. These weren’t perfect men, but they strove to keep God’s ordinances. And God responded to their pleas. The LORD is always attentive to the cries of the people (even when…
He is holy
Our LORD is to be exalted because He is holy, and also because He is a righteous judge. That’s stated in verse 4. Although He has all the power, He doesn’t wield it like a dictator. His judgement is always fair and right, never influenced by a bad mood or…

