by Bible League International
Verse of the Day and Devotion
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! - Psalm 32:11 NKJV
Devotion
Maybe you don't feel very happy about things at the present time. Maybe the trials, troubles, tribulations, and persecutions of life have gotten to you and brought you down. If so, then consider this: There is at least one thing that you can be happy about. Indeed, there is at least one thing that can make you glad and make you rejoice. It's the Lord. Despite what's bringing you down, despite what's making you unhappy, you still have a relationship to Him. You can be glad and you can rejoice because you're on the good side of God.
You're on the good side because you're righteous. That is, you're in right-standing with Him. You're willing to come before Him and confess your sins and receive His forgiveness. (Psalm 32:5) You're willing to serve Him. Instead of acting like an unbroken horse, instead of acting like a stubborn mule, you're willing to do the things He wants you to do. The Lord won't have to harness you with bit and bridle and force you to go where He wants you to go. (Psalm 32:9)
Despite any unhappiness you may be experiencing, then, there is cause for great rejoicing. In point of fact, there is cause for shouts of joy! You've been accepted by the Lord God Himself. You have hope for the future. You have hope for the here and now and for the life to come. Instead of keeping this cause for joy inside of you, instead of merely holding it in your heart of hearts, there is reason to shout it out loud. There is reason to shout it out loud in song: "Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth." (Psalm 96:1)
After all, it's the kind of thing those in right-standing with the Lord do. It's the kind of thing the upright in heart are more than willing to do. You don't hold back your confession. You don't hold back your service and obedience. Your shouts for joy, as a result, should not be held back either.Instead, you should release them into the public domain. You should release them where others can see and hear what your relationship to the Lord means to you.
