If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23.

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17. 

This morning we resumed our early Friday morning prayer group and it was so good to be with one another again. We share encouragement, prayer needs and draw closer to God in His love shared in our hearts for Him and for one another. We are lifted up. We even shared love for beloved pets and we couldn’t help but marvel at God’s love for His creation that includes dogs and their joy to be with us. One day all of Creation will delight in the love revealed in us, the children of God, who love. Is that not what all of us need more than anything…God’s love…our love for God…our love for one another. God’s love fires that light that banishes the darkness of this world that does not know love – and in His light we will see and understand and it is good!

I couldn’t help but think about all of that as I read our chapter, Job 31. This is the final chapter of Job’s words and they sound reflective and quieter. He lays out how he has not sinned and how he has tried to help others. For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high?…Does he not see my ways and count my every step?…Let God weigh me in honest scales…What will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? v. 2, 4, 6, 14, 15. 

There is so much darkness in this world right now. Do you remember joy? Do you want joy? Our movement toward God brings us closer to our ability to know He is here and that He loves us. Not just us. He died for every single one of us. That’s so hard for us to comprehend so stop trying. We can’t comprehend a love that big. God – Father, Son, Spirit – can and does. Let Him tell you. Let Him speak to your heart. Let Him draw you near to others whose hearts long for Him and find delight in Him. All of the darkness of this world won’t be swept away easily. It took the life of our Creator God given for us. And He is at work now in the hearts and minds of those who call out to Him. Be ready for change. When our Creator walked this home of ours, he called individual people and told them to follow Him. He didn’t do anything they expected and that’s why it took them all of those 3 years with Him to finally grasp what He was prepared to do and what He did for us. And when He ascended to His Father and to our Father – to His God and to our God (John 20:17)…He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell with us…God with us….always. There – there is our joy!