You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11.

How can we begin to comprehend that everything exists because God creates? I asked Him in prayer last night did He know the joy I would find in that card I received from my Grandmother when I was a child? I can’t remember exactly what it looked like but I’ll never forget the joy stirred in my heart. There were hearts, there were many shades of red and pink and it was truly a delight. Did He know the laughter of babies would sound that good? Did He know the loyalty and love of beloved pets? Such wonder and all because we have a Creator – Father, Son, Spirit – who loves and who creates. Children know wonder because everything is so new. Can we appreciate with a more mature wonder the things we cannot comprehend but that bring joy? Notice! Remember!

I loved in our chapter, Nehemiah 10, the people are re-pledging their lives to God and in v. 33…and for all the duties of the house of our God. Our God. Personal. Our God…His children. He is ours and we are His. And isn’t that what is needed in each of our hearts? That our Creator God…our God…is personal to us. He gave everything. He gave Himself.

The temple was built, destroyed, rebuilt again, destroyed again. And yet, nothing was wasted. Our faith and hope is being built in God. Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:19-22. The temple in Jerusalem was never raised again after its destruction in 70 A.D. There was no need.

Choosing to walk with God in this life is to choose thankfulness for all the goodness we begin to appreciate through eyes that can see with His help guiding us. We can choose to live lives oblivious to Him and our eyes can be darkened; but the light of His love surrounds us anyway. One day with His help we will all see. It has been His love sustaining us all along through every generation’s darknesses…and oh how dark that darkness can be for so many. Wars, holocausts, hate, greed – the list is dark and long. God’s love remains and we can see it when we ask for His help. His love is our hope and our strength. Our path of Life. Thank You, Lord, for so great a love, so great a hope. With You we see light that illuminates all You create and Your light fills us with a deep love and joy.