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A Prayer for True Pleasure This Christmas
By Ashley Moore
“You reveal to me the trail of life; in your presence there may be fullness of pleasure; at your proper hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11, ESV
Christmas is a particular time that believers and nonbelievers alike get pleasure from! We take our youngsters to take a look at lights and decorations. We bake conventional household recipes and collect round tables with individuals we love. We purchase considerate items to provide to our family and friends. We put forth lots of effort to expertise pleasure throughout this season; we give December an additional line within the price range, make the most of our PTO, and fill our calendars with occasions.
I completely get pleasure from these particular celebrations and look ahead to them every year. And it’s good for us to get pleasure from these frequent graces as they’re a present from our Heavenly Father (James 1:17). However do you know pleasure isn’t solely reserved just for the vacation season? The supply of lasting and satisfying pleasure is at all times obtainable. And right here’s the excellent news, it’s simply discovered! This pleasure does not require hoop leaping, budget-blowing, or operating on fumes.
David wrote in Psalm 16 that God’s presence is the place he discovered the fullness of pleasure. For the nonbeliever, the fleeting pleasures of this world are a grace that can cross away, in the end leaving them dissatisfied and looking for extra. Solely once they come to know the God who made each good factor will they be happy and their pleasure turns into full.
As for believers, we get pleasure from these good items from God, realizing that they’re a shadow of the glory that’s to return. The trail that God made recognized to the Psalmist and to us is the explanation we actually rejoice this Christmas season. God despatched His Son Jesus, who knew no sin, to change into sin for us in order that we could possibly be made proper with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus, also referred to as the Phrase of God, grew to become flesh and made His dwelling amongst us (John 1:14). And when Jesus’ time got here He died the dying we deserved, and the veil that separated sinners from a Holy God was torn (Matthew 27:51).
Have you learnt what this implies for us? The presence of God used to solely be accessible by way of a excessive priest who, based on the Outdated Testomony regulation, needed to enter the Holy of Holies annually to make a sacrifice for sins on behalf of the individuals. When you weren’t a priest, you couldn’t even go close to it (Hebrews 9:7). Earlier than Jesus, we had been excluded from the presence of God and, subsequently, unable to expertise pleasure due to our sins. However not anymore!
Jesus took the place of the Excessive Priest, making an providing on our behalf, as soon as and for all (Hebrews 10:14). And whereas we watch for His return, He has given us a helper within the Holy Spirit. That is good, excellent news. And nice pleasure! Pricey believer, this Christmas season, we rejoice the beginning of the Savior. We rejoice Immanuel, God with us. His Spirit is within you. His presence dwells with His individuals. And in His presence is fullness of pleasure.
In order you hunt down methods to rejoice and luxuriate in this season. Do not forget that true pleasure, lasting pleasure, comes from the presence of God. Take a second to acknowledge He’s with us, and we might be with Him perpetually due to this miraculous beginning. That is our supply of true pleasure this Christmas.
Let’s pray:
Pricey Lord,
Thanks that in your presence, we expertise pleasure to the max! Thanks for making that obtainable to us by way of the beginning of your Son, Jesus! His beginning is the explanation we hunt down experiences that carry us pleasure throughout this season, even when it is solely short-term pleasure! I pray we use this Christmas season to immediate us to acknowledge and have interaction with our true supply of pleasure–your presence. Thanks for making lasting pleasure obtainable to us. Thanks for each good reward! Lord allow us to spend time abiding in your presence, and, Lord, allow us to be proof to unbelievers that you’re their solely hope for true, lasting pleasure! Let it’s plain that we’ve got been with you, and thanks for being with us! In Jesus’ title, amen.
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