Signpost Church

How fleeting are the pleasures of sin! What promises us fulfillment in a moment of passion, leaves us emptier than ever. After his foray into the forbidden, David experienced firsthand a soul crushing desolation which he describes as his bones being broken. He who had known fullness of joy and continuous pleasure in his relationship with the living God now cried out: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation …” (Ps. 51:12).

Human intimacy, no matter how pleasant or passionate, can never replace the loss of intimacy with God. Solomon, the progeny of David’s relationship with Bathsheba, in his misguided quest for “more” in this world, painfully discovered the same emptiness. He could only warn young men against forgetting God in their pursuit of this earth’s goods.

“Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity” (Eccl. 11:9,10).

While telling the young man Timothy to “flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22); Paul also told him that God “giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). God has created us with the capacity to enjoy many earthly pleasures, which are not evil in and of themselves. They only become evil when we bow down and serve them; putting them before our face and God behind our back.

When we put God first, He gladly permits us to partake of the tree of life. The gifts and blessings of this earth are ours to richly enjoy without guilt or shame. But when we put anything before God, making an idol of it, nothing can satisfy or fulfill us. “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked …” (Psalms. 32:10). Our idols fail us. They leave us high and dry. “…The rebellious dwell in a dry land” (Ps. 68:6). The lusts that drive us to them are deceitful. “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel” (Prov. 20:17).

God allows U-turns. He is a good shepherd who seeks and saves those who have foolishly turned to their own way. If we let Him, He will restore our soul. If we return to Him, He will return to us. And with His return will come a restoration of fullness of joy and everlasting pleasure.

“Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” (Psalm 51:8)

— The Return of Joy

David knew the fullness of joy found when walking in the presence of God. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Ps. 89:15). David also knew the desolation and sorrow that sin brings to the soul. “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation …” (Ps. 51:11,12).

God wants His people to be the most joyful people on the earth. Our joy in Him is His delight. He loves for us to bask in His love for us, to glory in being His treasured people.

“Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.” (Psalm 149:2-5)

The Lord takes pleasure in His people, and He wants His people to be joyful in the knowledge of His love for them. But Israel ran into a problem when they thought God would still be delighting in them when they did what was evil in His sight. “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” (Mal. 2:17)

God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. We break fellowship with a righteous God when we walk in darkness. God forbid we deceive ourselves, thinking we can still know the joyful sound, when we forget God and walk after the imaginations of our own heart. “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart” (Ps. 97:11).

The Father wanted the Son to know how beloved He was to Him. Once and again He proclaimed: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Although a man of sorrows, Jesus possessed a joy greater than any man had ever known because of His holy walk with God. “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb. 1:9).

Jesus doesn’t want to be the only one who knows such otherworldly joy. He desires that each of those who are His would bask in the same love and know the same bliss. Such joy though is found in walking in His same obedience. Oh the satisfaction of loving and being loved! Truly, there is nothing like it in all the world.

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:9-11).

“The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.” (Psalm 64:10)

— Basking in the Love of God