Need an answer?!

Have you ever heard a verse from the bible in Church or from your favourite preacher and you have to go and get your bible to check it's in there because you're quite certain you've never seen it!

Last Sunday was like that.  I have read the bible from cover to cover multiple times (well I skipped the maps part), but I don't recall this verse at all!

The second part of Ecclesiastes 5:20 says "because God answers him in the joy of his heart".

I am certain I am not the only one who has ever been waiting on an answer from God about something, but this verse says that God answers us in the joy of our heart.

Nehemiah 8:10 says "The Joy of the Lord is my Strength"

Why does God answer us in joy and why is the Lord's joy our strength?  I think it's all wrapped up Psalms 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life:
in thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

In the Old Testament the presence of God came and went.  In Psalm 51 David himself prayed "take not thy holy spirit from me".  This is no longer an issue for New Testament believers!!!

God has said under the new covenant that He will never leave us or forsake us, but it's up to us whether we are conscious and focussed of that presence or not.  In God's presence, we experience fullness of joy, and so we are positioned for him to answer and for us to hear that answer! 

I know someone will say "I am not experiencing joy at all, so I am not in God's presence", but that simply can't be true if the Word of God is true.  If God says He will never leave you or forsake you, then it means HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU!!!

In God's presence we can experience fulness (satisfying, abundance) of joy!  We are in His presence.  We focus on Him (his love, his goodness, his greatness, his awesome majesty, his lovingkindness (need I go on) and I guarantee that joy springs up in our hearts!  In that position, God can answer us in the joy of our heart.  Then we have something more to focus on in thanksgiving and we focus on him.... It's a victorious circle!

In the bible joy and peace are often linked together, and I think it makes it easy when our hearts are in that place, to receive God's word for our situation and questions.

Today if you are stressing about something or looking for an answer, I encourage you to meditate on the fact that you are in God's presence; that Christ lives in you and the Holy Spirit flows through you.  Consider how much He loves you, how much He has done for you.  As joy rises up on the inside, your external position, may not change immediately, but as you focus on his presence, you WILL experience that satisfying abundance of joy and I believe you will find answers in the joy of your heart.

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