Joy in the Present
Joy is a gift from God that can be found in the present moment, even in difficult circumstances, when we seek to be with Him.
Mary Wilder Tileston preaches about the promise of inheriting the earth for the meek, who will find delight in the abundance of peace. She emphasizes that joy is a gift from God, comforting us in our darkest hours and opening heaven before us to rejoice in His presence. Tileston highlights that being with God, in any form or circumstance, is to experience a taste of heaven. She challenges the notion of postponing joy in Christ until the afterlife, encouraging believers to seek and find glimpses of glory and joy even in their current lives.
Text
The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
--PSALMS 37:11
Joy is Thy gift, 0 Father!
Thou wouldst not have us pine;
In darkest hours Thy comfort
Doth aye most brightly shine;
Ah, then how oft Thy voice
Hath shed its sweetness o'er me,
And opened heaven before me,
And bid my heart rejoice!
--PAUL GERHARDT
TO be with God, in whatever stage of being, under whatever conditions of existence, is to be in heaven.
--DORA GREENWELL
I perceive we postpone all our joys of Christ, till He and we be in our own house above, thinking that there is nothing of it here to be sought or found, but only hope and fair promises; and that Christ will give us nothing here but tears, sadness, crosses; and that we shall never feel the smell of the flowers of that high garden of paradise above, till we come there. Nay, but I find it possible to find young glory, and a young green paradise of joy even here. We dream of hunger in Christ's house, while we are here, although He alloweth feasts to all the bairns within God's household.
--SAMUEL RUTHERFORD
Sermon Outline
- Introduction
- The Misconception of Joy
- Finding Joy in the Present
- Discovering Young Glory
- Experiencing the Paradise of Joy
Key Quotes
“Joy is Thy gift, O Father!” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“TO be with God, in whatever stage of being, under whatever conditions of existence, is to be in heaven.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“We dream of hunger in Christ's house, while we are here, although He alloweth feasts to all the bairns within God's household.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
Application Points
- Seek to find joy in the present moment, rather than postponing it until heaven.
- Recognize that joy is a gift from God, and it can be experienced in the midst of challenges.
- Focus on being with God, rather than expecting only hardship in the present.