God...Our Joyful Dwelling Place!

          Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Home is a great place to have your first serving of joy this morning. 

            The word “home” should have a peaceful, restful, loving connotation.  In the best case scenario “home” is where we all like to be.  It’s a place of comfort and familiarity. Often it’s our refuge away from the aggravations and responsibilities of daily life. Truly, there is NO PLACE LIKE HOME! 

            In Deuteronomy 33:27 we read these words:  “The eternal God is your dwelling place.”

Alistair Begg explains: “‘Dwelling place’ may be translated "refuge" or "abiding-place" and provides the thought that God is our abode, our home. There is a fullness and sweetness in the metaphor, for our home is dear to our hearts, although it may be the humblest cottage or the tiniest loft; and dearer still is our blessed God, in whom we live and move and have our being.

It is at home that we feel safe: We shut the world out and dwell in quiet security. So when we are with our God, we fear no evil. He is our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge. At home we can find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day. And so our hearts find rest in God when, wearied with life's conflict, we turn to Him, and our soul dwells secure.”

            Home is where your joy-filled heart should be! May God always be our “dwelling place”!

The Ultimate Shelter of Joy

           Have you had your Joy Juice today? When you need a refuge, you can trust in God’s shelter of joy.

            What picture comes to your mind when you hear the words “shelter of joy”?  We may envision a covered pavilion with music and dancing; we may think about an event or reception where lots of food is served.  Maybe you’ve been on a trip where a large venue hosted a multitude of fun activities. There are countless interpretations of “shelters of joy”.

            But today, let’s focus on the ultimate “Shelter”….our faithful God.  Indeed, He is our supreme, divine “Shelter of Joy”.  Keep in mind that joy does not always mean laughter and happiness.   In this case, it means something much more permanent and solid than mere cheerfulness & fun.

God is our Shelter….our protection from danger. He is our sanctuary, our covering and our security. Psalm 27:5 says it clearly: “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.”

What hope and assurance we find in that truth. And in Psalm 31:19 (NIV) we find these powerful words:

 ^"How abundant are the good things
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
    on those who take refuge in you."

            Take refuge in God and He will cover you with His Shelter of Joy.

Rest in God's Refuge and Shelter of Joy

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Plentiful servings of joy are found in the refuge of God’s love. 

            The Psalms are filled with references to God being our refuge, our fortress, our shelter. Each of those terms refers to protection. What hope and security that should bring! In Psalm 46:1 we find these words: 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” 

Each of us finds ourselves in the midst of troubling circumstances from time to time. Often we truly do not know what to do.  We may be so devastated by loss, so anxious because of uncertainties, so broken by betrayal, that we feel weak and helpless.  That is when we need to remember God’s promise of refuge and strength.  He is always available….a “very present help in trouble.” 

            Though we may not be bubbling with happy-joy, we can always be filled with the quiet joy of knowing that God is with us.  He is our strength when we are weak; we can call to Him for refuge and protection…in any and all circumstances.  When the storms of life threaten to overtake us and drown us in sorrow and anxiety, may we reach for Him and allow His strong arms to lift us, hold us and carry us through. 

            The God of joy is also our God of refuge. Rest in His shelter and protection.