Murphy's Law?

Habakkuk 3:18 “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

Have you ever had one of those days?  You know, the one where nothing seems to go right and Murphy’s law seems to be playing out in every aspect of your life!?

Murphy’s law is a popular adage that states “things will go wrong in any given situation, if you give them a chance” or more commonly, “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.”  You know, one of those days?

Habakkuk is describing a terrible moment of God’s wrath upon the earth in the beginning of this chapter as he is praying to God but in the middle of all this “terrible trouble” he breaks into a song.  This song starts with acknowledgment that if everything goes wrong……the fig tree may not blossom….no fruit on the vine……the olive may fail…the fields yield no food…..the flocks cut off and no herd in the stalls.  I don’t know how it could get much worse… Murphy’s law!

But in verse 18 he says, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

Squarely in the middle of everything wrong, Habakkuk gets it right. 

Our rejoicing doesn’t come from external stimuli, it doesn’t come from what we have and it doesn’t come from anything we do.

It comes from knowing who God is in our life.  In the middle of everything getting sideways on him Habakkuk was able to recognize that even if everything else goes wrong, God is still God.  He is the God of my salvation and that is reason enough to rejoice. 

He went on to say in v.19) The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like a deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.

Don’t let a bad moment or a bad day overwhelm you.  God’s law (word) is greater than Murphy’s law any day of the week.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, I trust you.  I trust You even when everything seems to be going wrong.  You are the God of my salvation.  You are my strength.  I will rejoice in You.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Finding Joy

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Oh, to be in the presence of the Lord God Almighty. There is nothing like the splendor, peace, love and joy we have in Him.   Often times in this life we may find ourselves surrounded by seasons of heartache, and turmoil.  Circumstances beyond our control that overtake our heart with an anxious spirit.  How, even in difficulties can we have fullness of joy?

Psalm 23:5 says this: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

This description paints for me a clear picture of a table set by God himself, adorned with beauty as well as provision, a place for us to sit and find nourishment and rest no matter what the circumstance of life surrounding us may look like.  I see it as a special retreat that God creates for us in the heat of battle, an atmosphere filled with His divine presence and in it is fullness of joy.  We might choose to walk right on by and not stop and take in the beauty of his presence, and should we so choose we miss the opportunity for divine rejuvenation.

The path before us in life can have many twists and turns but when we have Jesus or should I say when Jesus has us and we have surrendered our life to His keeping, then we have promise of victory.  We have the assurance that He will show us the path of Life, not death.  Though the way may be dark we have the assurance that He wills for us the very best good! Joy is not circumstantial but residential.  It resides in us, wrapped up in the hope that we have in Christ Jesus.  It supersedes all other difficulties and we have the quiet knowing that God is in control. 

During the busyness of the coming Holiday season I encourage you to stop and commune with Him.  Let his presence occupy the places of unrest until they are overflowing with the joy that is found in the presence of the Almighty.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank you for the joy that I have in your presence.  Forgive me for when I have allowed the enemy to distract me from the joy found in you.  I invite you to intervene on my behalf and show me the path of life and at your right-hand pleasures forevermore.  In Jesus Name, amen.