Distinguished by joy!
My musings today center around the question, 'How can my life make a difference?' or 'How can I excel?'. The verse I have chosen for my meditations is Psalms chapter 45 verse 7. This passage is part of a longer one, which is a prophecy about the Royal attributes of Jesus. Verse 7 says concerning Jesus
"You love what is right and hate what is evil. That is why God, your God, has chosen you and has poured out more happiness on you than on any other king." (Good News Bible)
"You love righteousness and hate wickedness; on account of this God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your fellows." (Literal Translation of the Holy Bible)
Here, we are told the reason why Jesus excelled in his ministry on earth. The immediate reason is that God poured on him, or anointed him with gladness more than anyone else. His joy distinguished him by an act of bestowal from God! This thought is in itself groundbreaking: that one may excel on account of his or her joyful spirit, not hard work or ambition, or focus, or drive. There seems to be something about a cheerful spirit that sets one apart from all the rest.
Beyond this reason however is the fact that this gift from God to Jesus was as a result of what Jesus loved, and what he hated. He loved what was right, and hated what was evil. On account of this, God gave Jesus an all-surpassing spirit of Joy!
Did you know that your desires rule you and direct the course of your life? You are what you love. The ambition to succeed and the drive that we have for what we do (or perhaps a lack of such a drive) are defined by where our love lies. We are raised or ruined by what we love. In the case of Jesus, his love was in the right place. He loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Apparently, like a bird that needs both wings to fly, not only are we defined by what we love, but we are also noted before God by what we hate.
God saw this absolute, clear-cut, pin-point commitment of Jesus to love righteousness, and to hate evil and he gave Jesus boundless joy. He will do the same for us if we follow the example of Jesus. Be blessed today.
"You love what is right and hate what is evil. That is why God, your God, has chosen you and has poured out more happiness on you than on any other king." (Good News Bible)
"You love righteousness and hate wickedness; on account of this God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your fellows." (Literal Translation of the Holy Bible)
Here, we are told the reason why Jesus excelled in his ministry on earth. The immediate reason is that God poured on him, or anointed him with gladness more than anyone else. His joy distinguished him by an act of bestowal from God! This thought is in itself groundbreaking: that one may excel on account of his or her joyful spirit, not hard work or ambition, or focus, or drive. There seems to be something about a cheerful spirit that sets one apart from all the rest.
Beyond this reason however is the fact that this gift from God to Jesus was as a result of what Jesus loved, and what he hated. He loved what was right, and hated what was evil. On account of this, God gave Jesus an all-surpassing spirit of Joy!
Did you know that your desires rule you and direct the course of your life? You are what you love. The ambition to succeed and the drive that we have for what we do (or perhaps a lack of such a drive) are defined by where our love lies. We are raised or ruined by what we love. In the case of Jesus, his love was in the right place. He loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Apparently, like a bird that needs both wings to fly, not only are we defined by what we love, but we are also noted before God by what we hate.
God saw this absolute, clear-cut, pin-point commitment of Jesus to love righteousness, and to hate evil and he gave Jesus boundless joy. He will do the same for us if we follow the example of Jesus. Be blessed today.
posted by Shegs at 4:47 AM
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