Joy in the Lord
This is an audio recording of Joy in the Lord the Day 7 entry in Today for Seafarers (Vol. 1) devotional by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Sheila Margerrison or read the text below:
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who
have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is
not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen
to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest
of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. . . .”
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he
is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous
their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have
mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come
down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering
the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed
for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes
out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will
accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which
I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the
mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the
trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush
will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that
will endure forever.”
Most seafarers tell me that the best time on the ship is the day they get to sign off. It is not that they all dislike their work; many enjoy the challenges on deck, the bridge, the kitchen, or the engine room. However, they also like the reward of finishing a contract and heading home for some well-deserved vacation.
Once I arrived on a ship when five men were signing off and five more were arriving. All of the crew, except for those needed elsewhere, were there to say hello and goodbye. It was wonderful to see the joy on the faces of those who were leaving, but it was also good to see that all of the other crew members could share in their joy—even those who were just signing on.
Joy is a wonderful human emotion. But it is not just something we feel on our own power. Scripture says that pure joy comes to us from God. What this means is that we can be joyful even in times of difficulty, because it is God who gives true joy.
Maybe you are feeling very sad. Perhaps you are not one of the lucky ones whose turn it is to sign off from the ship. Maybe you are only one or two months into a long contract. You might think that joy is not for you. Yet because it is a gift of the Spirit of God, you also can feel joy. Joy in the Lord and in his goodness can be your strength, even when times are difficult on the ship.
For Further Thought
Can you remember a time when you had great joy?
Why is it important to find joy even in difficult times?
How can you share joy with other members of the crew on your ship?
Prayer
Dear God, you have created all human emotions. You give me joy even when I am tired and lonely. Please strengthen my faith so that I can help others experience your joy as well. I ask you also to bless my family at home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
