"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Habakkuk 3:17,18
Nearing the end of my long training run yesterday morning, I looked up just in time to see a large dump truck coming towards me followed by an even larger mushroom cloud of dust kicked up from the gravel road we were sharing. Knowing there was no way to avoid the onslaught of dirt that would soon permeate my eyes and stick to my sweat-soaked skin and clothing, I smiled wide at the driver and shrugged my shoulders in an attempt to convey what I was thinking, "Oh well, these things happen." And you know what? The driver's look of horror as the cloud enveloped me turned into a smile as well.
Unfortunately, life is filled with moments like this--moments when things happen that are totally out of our control. And while you and I may not have the power to influence people to act, or the course of events to go, in our favor, you and I do have the power to respond to them with joy. You see, for the person who has trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, joy can be defined as the extreme happiness with which the believer contemplates salvation and the bliss of the afterlife. And nothing that happens in this life can ever change that!
So let us, like the prophet Habakkuk, regardless of the "things" happening around us, smile and then declare, "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that there is always a reason to rejoice when we keep our eyes focused on You. Thank you also for the reminder that salvation can never be taken away and that, no matter what bad things may happen to us in this life, we will one day experience the sheer bliss of eternal life with You. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
Grace got you - MercyMe
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