Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is the prayer of all who seek to know God; that he will fill us with hope and joy. Sometimes the joy is elusive. We are so surrounded by the world and its troubles. But when we experience our purest joy, we know it is from God. I think that even when we experience happiness over something which has gone well for us or for someone we love, when we turn to God with our thanks, this happiness becomes joy, because we have acknowledged God’s part in it!
Holy Lord, I am thankful for the experience of joy. I know it is available to me even more than I experience it. May I recognize your hand in every good and beautiful thing, and know the joy that you offer me. Amen
Becky, transforming
Romans 15:13
I think most of us think of joy as a “big” expression of happiness. Jumping up and down and clapping with joy. This joy is noisy and contagious. The joy Paul speaks about here is different. It is a quiet, peaceful feeling of hope as we sense the Holy Spirit helping us with our needs. It is a wonderful feeling. That is how God wants us to feel as we believe and trust in Him.
Prayer: Gracious God, many thanks for that peaceful feeling I experience when it is quiet and I know you are near. Amen
JOY
Wednesday, April 17th, 2024
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
This is such a comforting verse. Quite simple in its understanding but so powerful if we just remember to give this kind of thanks each day, while talking to God.. the true meaning of God’s kingdom is not about getting all the things you want, or have perfect circumstances. Paul is teaching the ability to have faith in God. This is accomplished through the Holy Spirit which dwells si side each and every believer. It is also the power of the Holy Spirit that we…
Romans 15:13
Paul explicitly relates joy to hope and peace rather than happiness and comfort. I deeply respect those who have such a strong sense of hope in God that they convey to others peace and joy, even in the face of adversity. This mindset is a reliable mark of a truly committed Christian, and can actually be a form of evangelism. Just last week one of the former inmates in our Saturday men’s group told of his experience in prison of having an angry and violent young man watch how he conducted himself over several months and finally said to him, “I want what you have.” At that point he was able to share his faith in Christ and…