A Prayer for True Pleasure This Christmas – Your Every day Prayer

A Prayer for True Pleasure This Christmas
By Ashley Moore

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

Christmas is a particular time that believers and nonbelievers alike get pleasure from! We take our youngsters to have a look at lights and decorations. We bake conventional household recipes and collect round tables with individuals we love. We purchase considerate items to present to our family and friends. We put forth a variety of effort to expertise pleasure throughout this season; we give December an additional line within the finances, make the most of our PTO, and fill our calendars with occasions.

I completely get pleasure from these particular celebrations and sit up for them annually. And it’s good for us to have the benefit of 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 accessible. And right here’s the excellent news, it’s simply discovered! This pleasure does not require hoop leaping, budget-blowing, or operating 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 trying to find extra. Solely once they come to know the God who made each good factor will they be glad and their pleasure turns into full. 

As for believers, we get pleasure from these good items from God, realizing that they’re a shadow of the glory that’s to return. 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 may very well be made proper with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus, often known 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). 

Have you learnt what this implies for us? The presence of God used to solely be accessible through a excessive priest who, in keeping with the Previous Testomony regulation, needed to enter the Holy of Holies annually to make a sacrifice for sins on behalf of the individuals. If you happen to weren’t a priest, you couldn’t even go close to it (Hebrews 9:7). Earlier than Jesus, we had 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 ahead to His return, He has given us a helper within the Holy Spirit. That is good, excellent news. And nice pleasure! Expensive believer, this Christmas season, we have a good time the delivery of the Savior. We have a good time Immanuel, God with us. His Spirit is within you. His presence dwells with His individuals. And in His presence is fullness of pleasure. 

In order you search out methods to have a good time and revel in this season. Do not forget that true pleasure, lasting pleasure, comes from the presence of God. Take a second to acknowledge He’s with us, and we shall be with Him without end due to this miraculous delivery. That is our supply of true pleasure this Christmas. 

Let’s pray:

Expensive Lord,
Thanks that in your presence, we expertise pleasure to the max! Thanks for making that accessible to us via the delivery of your Son, Jesus! His delivery is the explanation we search out experiences that convey us pleasure throughout this season, even when it is solely short-term 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 accessible to us. Thanks for each good present! 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’ve been with you, and thanks for being with us! In Jesus’ title, amen.

Picture credit score: ©Getty Pictures/Citysqwirl.jpg