A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Wednesday, July
3, 2019
Yesterday
morning we joined the employees at Audrey's for a
brief devotional period.
"The
Joy Of Satisfaction"
Note:
This message is
posted late due to
having internet
connection problems.
Being a solo
operator I do not
have an IT
department!
Message
summary:
Regardless
of our
circumstances, let
us truly be
satisfied with God's
unfailing love. Let
us sing for joy and
be glad all our
days, this day and
every day! Listen to our
message on your
audio player.
"That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God" (Ecclesiastes 3:13). "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance" (Isaiah 55:2). “For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good" (Psalm 107:9). "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14). Like
the woman at the
well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy; But then I heard my Savior speaking: "Draw from the well that never shall run dry". Many readers in my generation will recall a popular song by the Rolling Stones that had the recurring line, "I can't get no satisfaction". My Rock and Roll interests curbed shortly after I became a Christian in 1971 but due to the frequent air play of this song in the sixties and seventies this phrase and the tune are embedded in my memory even to this day. That's the way memory can work, good and bad, especially when it comes to music. In many ways the song summarizes the outlook of the world. Marketing strategy is intent on convincing us that we are not satisfied and must have their company's product or service to be satisfied. The implied promise is if we buy the product or service we will finally find satisfaction. Just consider that this really is the message of virtually all advertising. Even if you don’t have a need for the item the barrage of advertisements are designed to make you reassess your original thinking; to bring dissatisfaction with what you now have, or at the very least to raise your curiosity. Satisfaction can be an emotional response to good things such as a fulfilling marriage, a happy family, a job promotion, educational attainment, or acquiring more of this and that. These things aren't necessarily bad but they all lack the overall true source of satisfaction. Everyone seeking lasting satisfaction for the soul will find that true lasting satisfaction is found only in a dynamic, growing relationship with Jesus Christ. In Isaiah, chapter 55, God asks, "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance." This verse points out two contrasting sources of satisfaction: The physical which does not ultimately provide satisfaction and the genuinely spiritual which is found only through communion with God. "Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance." Moses offers one of the richest prayers found in the Psalms. He cries out to God, "Satisfy us in the morning", thus acknowledging that the source of one's satisfied life is rooted in God. Even more specific he speaks of one of God's characteristics; His "unfailing love". God's unfailing love is a stark contrast to the offers flashed in neon lights which brings temporal satisfaction at best. It can't be stored in a safety deposit box, sold to the highest bidder, traded in for a newer model, or made available only to the smart, rich, young or attractive. Just think back to your high school days and what you thought would satisfy. The deep, abiding satisfaction the soul longs for can only be found in God. It's a treasure for the here and now and for all eternity. Later in the Psalms we read, "You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing" (Psalms 145:16). Moses said "in the morning". The Hebrew here literally means "at the break of day". Consider the phrase we have often sung from the classic hymn, "Holy, Holy, Holy", which we proclaim "early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee". As we begin our day with the deep assurance of God's unfailing love we are filled and equipped, so that we can live the day in victory, sing for joy, and be glad our entire day; in the ups and downs, the quiet and busy aspects of our day as well. Let us be very intent on experiencing this deep satisfaction that God has provided. The Psalmist's prayer is so powerful. God alone is the source of satisfaction. Regardless of our circumstances, let us truly be satisfied with God's unfailing love. Let us sing for joy and be glad all our days, this day and every day! Hallelujah!
I have found Him
Whom my soul so long has craved! Jesus satisfies my longings; Through His blood I now am saved. Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
Finally today, a
few reflections on
Brooksyne's experience at
Joni and
Friends Retreat she
served at last week
(see Monday's message for
an earlier message she
shared.)
“Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:13b,14).
Unless you are personally
impacted by one with a
disability you only see
from a distance the
physical and emotional
turmoil that a person(s)
endures day after day,
year after year after year
along with the major
inconveniences their
disability imposes on
their caregivers. My
friend, Barb, warned me
before going to the
retreat that most all the
STMs (short term
missionaries) get what she
calls “allergy attacks” at
camp (moist eyes), and
that proved to be very
true. Every day observing
either the physical
struggle one was enduring,
his or her lack of
“normalcy” in behavior or
appearance as compared to
ours, or even the genuine
love another person was
extending to the disabled
individual brought on an
“allergy attack”.
It
was certainly not my first
time to be around those
with disabilities. My
nephew was deprived of
oxygen right after birth
and I spent a great deal
of time looking after him
as a young child. For
seven years I drove a
school bus van for
intellectually and
physically disabled
children, some quite
severe. But to live among
them for six days, to be
interactive with their
families, to see a
ministry like Joni and
Friends, with the help of
staff and volunteers,
enable these disabled
individuals and their
families to feel an
outpouring of love and
encouragement, along with
specially made programs
and equipment so that each
camper could participate
and be involved, at times
overwhelmed me. (Sorry for
the run-on sentence but I
just couldn’t find a place
to stop.)
There
was a variety of
volunteers; teens, adult
individuals, couples and
several entire families
volunteered. Age was not a
factor as we blended
together our interests and
desire to give every
camper a joyful
experience. Phones were to
be used for taking
photographs only and not
for social media or
otherwise so fellowship
was continuous and not
interrupted by people who
preferred their phones
over conversation.
A
greeting from Joni via
PowerPoint was presented
during our STM
orientation. She said
something that really
stuck with me. It helped
me accept and process the
pain and suffering
especially visible among
the disabled:
“God permits that which
He hates to bring about
that which He loves.”
She was referring to
her diving accident that
left her quadriplegic but
brought her closer to God,
after initially feeling
despair to the point of
wanting to take her own
life. Sin brought about
sickness, disease, and
mortality and it was very
present in this camp
setting with so many
disabled present, but when
you witnessed the STMs,
family members, and others
at camp go out of their
way to express love,
acceptance, and effective
communication with the
campers it showed me the
compassion of Christ
extended through committed
servants of Christ. To
observe the campers
worshiping God and
testifying to Jesus
working in their lives, if
they were able to
communicate such, was
richly inspiring and to
see dedicated Christian
families loving and caring
for their disabled
child(ren) was a rich
taste of seeing "that
which He loves".
There
is much more that I could
write but I will sum up
the camp experience in the
words of my camper, Diane,
who attended Impact 2
class. “Claudia, can I say
something?” Diane would
say to the teacher just
about everyday.
“Yes, Diane, what would
you like to say?” Diane
would answer with a lovely
smile and declare for the
whole class to hear, “My
heart feels good because I
love Jesus. I feel good at
camp and love to come
here!”
If you know a person with
a disability who might
benefit by attending a
Joni & Friends Family
Retreat or if you want
more info about being an
STM or serving in another
position see https://old.joniandfriends.org/international-family-retreats/stm-faqs/.
The cost of attending a
retreat varies at each
location. Many volunteers
raise funds in their local
church to cover expenses
if they’re unable to pay
their own way.
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