Jeremiah 31:13 ” I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”

Most of us have a hard time expressing our condolences to a friend that’s just lost a loved one.  We stumble around, trying hard to say something that will bring comfort.  But it’s only the Lord that can truly bring solace and peace during a time of anguish and mental pain.  Probably one of the most uncaring things to say is, “I know how you feel.”   No you don’t, and you never will.  Grief and grieving is unique to everyone, and all of us will go through it differently.  But with the Lord’s help, grief will be soothed…  fears will be quieted… peace will still frantic thoughts…and over time,  joy will return.

Psalm 90: 14 ” Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

There’s something to say about meeting with the Lord early in the morning before the world has a chance to inundate our minds with junk.  For the past 30 some years the Lord and I have had a date at 5 AM around the kitchen table.  Why so early?  First, I want to give the Lord my best, not the left-overs from a hectic day when I’m way too tired to concentrate.  But more importantly, it sets the tone for my entire day if I’m in the Word first not last.

John 4: 13-14 ” Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst again. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

We hear and accept the Word of life…the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence within, and we have the reassurance of eternal life.  But we also overflow with that living water, for it says in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in Me, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  Our lives spill over with joy, peace and love for others to see.

Isaiah 12:3 ” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

There’s nothing sadder than what is written in Jeremiah 2:13,  ” Forsaking the spring of living waters, they dug their own cisterns.”  We can not, and will never be able to save ourselves…for it’s only by the blood of Jesus that we are saved from our sinful existence .   And it’s then with unspeakable joy that we can  drink from that fountain of eternal life.