Daily Devotionals

Radiate Joy

Posted in Joy

Scripture:  “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:1-2 

When was the last time that you rested in the reality that you have been set free in Jesus Christ from the sin and brokenness that surrounds your life? I encourage you, if you have not done so recently, to stop right now, put down your phone or computer, and lift up your heads to your heavenly Father and praise God for the gift that Jesus is to you…. Seriously, right now. The rest of this devotion can wait….  

It’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s truly life giving – the grace and hope that God gives to us through his son, Jesus. And so often, we rush through life getting so caught up in what we have to do, where we have to be, or who we think we need to become that we forget the simple and yet complex beauty of the gift that Jesus is to us. 

Recently, my wife and I got the chance to go to a banquet for a local ministry, and, as we reflected on our experience afterward, we were so thankful for the gift that this evening was to us. We got to witness the unfiltered joy for Jesus that the ministry provides its people. We saw the freedom from sin and brokenness in the eyes of those who were sharing stories of God’s redemption, singing praises to their Savior, and reflecting on the goodness of God in the midst of their pits of despair. It was truly awe-inspiring and joy-invoking…. But it also challenged us. 

It made us reflect on how we were doing in radiating the joy found in our salvation. Do we live as the joy-filled, thankful people that we should be, in light of the amazingly Good News of the Gospel? Do we allow the freedom we experience in Christ to impact our interactions with others? Do we praise God in the ways we should for the gift of his grace, mercy, and love? Do people see our joy and our hope in our eyes?  

Friends, I hope that you too are challenged as I have been by our God in the ways we are called to live into the joy of our salvation. 

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for your forgiveness and mercy. Thank you for loving me enough to pour out your grace in my life. Help me to live life in a way that reflects the awesome reality that, through Christ, you have set me free. Give me strength when obstacles come, patience when turmoil hits, and eyes that constantly look to You when times get rough. Amen.

Submitted by Rev. Brian Marsh