Oswald Chambers: Joy - Strength In The LordSample

The joy that a believer can give to God is the purest pleasure God ever allows a saint, and it is very humiliating to realize how little joy we do give Him. We put our trust in God up to a certain point, then we say, “Now I must do my best.” There are times when there is no human best to be done, when the Divine best must be left to work, and God expects those of us who know Him to be confident in His ability and power. We have to learn what these fishermen learned, that the Carpenter of Nazareth knew better than they did how to manage the boat. Is Jesus Christ a Carpenter, or is He God to me? If He is only man, why let Him take the tiller of the boat? Why pray to Him? But if He be God, then be heroic enough to go to the breaking-point and not break in your confidence in Him.

Reflection Questions: Have I ever considered the idea that I could or should give joy to God? Do I know what brings joy to God? In what ways might I give joy to God?

Quotation taken from The Place of Help, © Discovery House Publishers