PSALM 16:11.
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. (NLT)
TO PONDER:
Every great relationship has its genesis in that first awkward handshake and uncomfortable conversation. Every great relationship has a beginning followed by time together, hanging out, getting to know each other, having shared experiences, laughing and crying together, you know; "doing life together".
We can’t skip steps in the development of a great relationship, we can’t go from the awkward handshake directly to the joy of a “ride-or-die” friendship that lasts a lifetime.
Today’s verse is talking about that ride-or-die with God, the relationship that takes a lifetime to grow, shared laughter and tears, struggles and contentment, walking with Him through every season of life.
Often our walk with God can be transactional, based on eternity in “heaven”, the afterlife, the future promise. While the Psalmist here does say “living with you forever”, with the implications of eternity, but “the way of life” also includes the here and now, the present, today.
King David, the author of the Psalm, talks about the difficult seasons and the happy seasons of life and realises joy in all seasons can be found in walking with God daily. Joy is not the promise of a future destination called heaven, as heaven is not a place, it’s a kingdom, a way of life with God, in every season, in good times and bad times, in present life as well as in the future afterlife (eternity).
The joy of the “Kingdom of Heaven” (used 32 times in in the Gospel of Matthew) is not only something to look forward to as a future with God, a reward for good works, but is something to be experienced in the here and now as we walk with God in the way of life, in relationship with Him.
PRAYER: Almighty God, I thank you for showing me the way of life and walking with me through every season of life as a get to experience the joy of your presence. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside