READING: Ezra 5-6, Psalm 95, 3 John
I’m thinking today about joy. When I first became a believer, I suppose I confused “joy” with “happiness” – and I considered joyous anything that made me happy. That might have included eternal matters like friends turning to Christ, but it probably also included getting a good grade on a paper, finding a good job, and buying a new car. In fact, I may have found more “joy” in temporal things than eternal things, simply because my mind was much more focused on the immediate and the temporary. I didn’t understand what really mattered, and I didn’t fully understand joy.
As I get older, though, the things that bring me real joy have changed. I’m grateful for the way God has met our needs, but I’ve grown to realize that material blessings are still only temporary. They ultimately do not last, no matter how the world might present them. On the other hand, I know now that what we leave behind in changed lives matters so much more. I can echo John’s words about those to whom he wrote: “I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth” (3 John 4). When I see the guys I invest in follow Christ fully, the excitement that possessions, awards, and degrees bring pales in comparison. There’s nothing quite like a mentee who faithfully, persistently, and passionately walks in the truth of God’s Word.
I pray God gives all of us the privilege of seeing that blessing!
PRAYER: “God, thank You for those mentees who walk fully with You. Thank You for the joy they bring.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Esther 1-3, Psalm 139, Revelation 1
