“In your presence (Abba) there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps.16:11). Jesus prays this for us, “Father, may they have the full measure of my joy within them” (Jn.17:13). And he says to us, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk.10:20).
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (Jms.1:2). “We rejoice in our suffering because it is producing patient endurance in us” (Rom.5:3).
Dear Father, Habakkuk prayed, “Even though we have blossomless fig trees and grapeless vines—though we have crop failures and empty barns … yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength!” (Hab.3:17-19)—to which we add our prayer:
Abba, precisely because you are our Sovereign LORD and loving Father, whatever you script for our next several weeks—“trials of many kinds” (Jms.1:2), grace-bombs of the “pleasures at your right hand” dropped onto us (Ps.16:11)—whether there are empty chairs at our tables, unexpected angels showing up, or encounters with things in the “beyond all we could ask or imagine” category (Eph.3:20)—we purpose to love you, trust you, rest in your love, and grow in Spirit-joy.
All this Thanksgiving week—and throughout Advent, may we see our names written in heaven’s book more clearly than the disappoints we experience in our journey Home. May we spend the currency of grace on each other like it’ll never run out—because it won’t. May we experience Jesus’ prayers for our joy being answered even before the tears dry on our faces and the Day of no more brokenness arrives. So Very Amen.