Thursday, May 26, 2016

THE GIFT OF GLADNESS

In Psalm 100:1-3, we read: “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing, Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His People and the sheep of His pasture.

Joey sat on the bottom step leading to the back porch, his head bowed, his shoulders slumped.

“What’s the matter, son?” Grandfather asked. He  sat by him, stretched out his legs, ankles crossed.

He looked up at his grandfather, tears pooling in his eyes. He held his arm against his grandfather’s. “Look,” he said. “I’m different. They said I was no good. I’d never amount to anything ‘cause I’m adopted.”

Grandfather stared at him. Help me here, Lord. To show him how valuable he is to You. “Son,
remember the day that we found the puppy on the side of the road? The one so weak that we had to feed him?” Joey nodded. “Where is he now?” Joey reached down to pet the dog at feet.

“Was he happy when we found him?” Joey shook his head.

“No, he was afraid and would have run away if possible. But we picked him up, brought him home. We fed him, nursed him to health and now look at him.” Happy sat up, his ears perked, his tongue lolling as if he knew he was the subject of their conversation. "We adopted him. We are his people.”

“Oh, I get it,” Joey said. He stood, threw his arms around Grandfather’s neck. “I’m your ‘Happy.’”

“Exactly, son. Exactly. You’re my ‘Happy.’” Joey did his happy dance causing Grandfather to smile and Happy to bark.

I believe gladness is a gift from our Heavenly Father. When I realized that He is God, that He made me and I am one of His sheep, I can come before His presence with singing for He makes me glad. He loves me with an everlasting love. He has promised never to leave nor forsake me. I serve the Lord with Gladness.

Kingdom Thinking. This gift of gladness is for all will believe. The invitation is sent to ‘all you lands.’ This gift comes when we realize that the Lord Jesus stepped out of eternity to redeem us so we might spend eternity with Him. Won’t you accept Him? He waits for you.