A Prayer for True Pleasure This Christmas - Your Day by day Prayer - December 18

A Prayer for True Pleasure This Christmas
By Ashley Moore

“You give away to me the trail of life; in your presence there may be fullness of pleasure; at your proper hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11, ESV

Christmas is a particular time that believers and nonbelievers alike take pleasure in! We take our kids to take a look at lights and decorations. We bake conventional household recipes and collect round tables with individuals we love. We purchase considerate presents to offer to our family and friends. We put forth quite a lot of effort to expertise pleasure throughout this season; we give December an additional line within the funds, reap the benefits of our PTO, and fill our calendars with occasions.

I completely take pleasure in these particular celebrations and sit up for them every year. And it’s good for us to benefit from these frequent graces as they’re a present from our Heavenly Father (James 1:17). However do you know pleasure isn’t solely reserved just for the vacation season? The supply of lasting and satisfying pleasure is at all times out there. And right here’s the excellent news, it’s simply discovered! This pleasure would not require hoop leaping, budget-blowing, or working on fumes.

David wrote in Psalm 16 that God’s presence is the place he discovered the fullness of pleasure. For the nonbeliever, the fleeting pleasures of this world are a grace that can cross away, finally leaving them dissatisfied and looking for extra. Solely after they come to know the God who made each good factor will they be happy and their pleasure turns into full.

As for believers, we take pleasure in these good presents from God, realizing that they’re a shadow of the glory that’s to come back. The trail that God made identified to the Psalmist and to us is the explanation we really have a good time this Christmas season. God despatched His Son Jesus, who knew no sin, to develop into sin for us in order that we might be made proper with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus, also referred to as the Phrase of God, turned flesh and made His dwelling amongst us (John 1:14). And when Jesus’ time got here He died the loss of life we deserved, and the veil that separated sinners from a Holy God was torn (Matthew 27:51).

Are you aware what this implies for us? The presence of God used to solely be accessible through a excessive priest who, in response to the Previous Testomony regulation, needed to enter the Holy of Holies every year to make a sacrifice for sins on behalf of the individuals. In case you weren’t a priest, you couldn’t even go close to it (Hebrews 9:7). Earlier than Jesus, we have been excluded from the presence of God and, subsequently, unable to expertise pleasure due to our sins. However not anymore!

Jesus took the place of the Excessive Priest, making an providing on our behalf, as soon as and for all (Hebrews 10:14). And whereas we look forward to His return, He has given us a helper within the Holy Spirit. That is good, excellent news. And nice pleasure! Pricey believer, this Christmas season, we have a good time the beginning of the Savior. We have a good time Immanuel, God with us. His Spirit is inside you. His presence dwells with His individuals. And in His presence is fullness of pleasure.

In order you hunt down methods to have a good time and luxuriate in this season. Keep in mind that true pleasure, lasting pleasure, comes from the presence of God. Take a second to acknowledge He’s with us, and we will likely be with Him endlessly due to this miraculous beginning. That is our supply of true pleasure this Christmas.

Let’s pray:

Pricey Lord,
Thanks that in your presence, we expertise pleasure to the max! Thanks for making that out there to us via the beginning of your Son, Jesus! His beginning is the explanation we hunt down experiences that convey us pleasure throughout this season, even when it is solely momentary pleasure! I pray we use this Christmas season to immediate us to acknowledge and interact with our true supply of pleasure–your presence. Thanks for making lasting pleasure out there to us. Thanks for each good reward! Lord allow us to spend time abiding in your presence, and, Lord, allow us to be proof to unbelievers that you’re their solely hope for true, lasting pleasure! Let or not it’s simple that we now have been with you, and thanks for being with us! In Jesus’ identify, amen.

Ashley Moore is a author and host of be the two™podcast. She is thought for her relatability and for passionately writing and talking about psychological, emotional, and relational well being from a biblical worldview. She has written for Kingdom Edge Journal, Guideposts, Crosswalk, The Secret Place, enLIVEn, The Effervescent Brook and extra. If Ashley is not writing, you could find her together with her husband, three kids, and two floppy-eared Goldens on their south Georgia farmland. The easiest way to attach with Ashley is to seize a free devotional or Bible examine and be a part of her e-newsletter at free.ashleynicolemoore.com.

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