Worshipful Wednesday: Joy Comes in the Morning - Denise Pass

Psalm 30: 2-5, 7-8, 11-12

2 O Lord my God, I cried out to you and you healed me. 3 O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol; you rescued me from among those descending into the grave. 4 Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers of his; give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment, and his good favor restores one’s life. One may experience sorrow during the night, but joy arrives in the morning. 7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure. Then you rejected me and I was terrified. 8 To you, O Lord, I cried out; I begged the Lord for mercy: 11 Then you turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy. 12 So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent; O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.

Psalm 31:7; 15, 23

“I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness, because you notice my pain and you are aware of how distressed I am.  15 You determine my destiny!  Rescue me form the power of my enemies and those who chase me.  23 Love the LORD, all you faithful followers of his!  The LORD protects those who have integrity, but he pays back in full the one who acts arrogantly. 24 Be strong and confident, all you who wait on the LORD!”

What kind of God turns our sorrows into dancing, sets captives free and brings us joy the next morning after weeping? Jesus, our living Savior.  He promised us troubles and He promised to be our refuge in the midst of them.  It is when we are delivered from searing pain that we can rejoice like no other when that trial has ended.  Sure, we might hobble like Jacob after he wrestled and complained with God, but we will rise changed and made more in His image.

Even the sorrows which seem unending have an end, and God is there throughout and knows the end completely.  This great God, the Creator of all the earth is the One Who knows our destiny – even before the foundations of the world were established.  That is a God I want to worship.  One Who takes pain and transforms it into beauty.  He is the one who rescues us and restores our lives and offers hope to those who are willing to believe Him and hold onto His promises in faith.

How do we access this incredible joy?  Relationship.  Have we sinned?  Confess the sins before our loving God and find mercy.  Have we been sinned against?  Forgive and cast our cares on the One Who truly cares for us.  Are we trapped in a behavior that we feel we can never overcome?  Study His Word and pray that God would enable us to overcome.  I will often burst into song or weep for joy when I read of God’s goodness.  This is worship and brings us joy, too.  He has joy for us today, and the joy of the LORD is our strength and His mercies are new each and every day!  Praise God!

Lord, thank You that You hear our cry and long to answer us.  Help us to run to You and never cease bringing our cares to You.  Thank You that You notice our pain and are a compassionate, loving God.

Visit www.pledgemusic.com/seeingdeep to hear songs which minister God’s grace, as well.