Fear No Fear

“At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:62, MEV). I take joy in the Lord in the middle of the night. When I SHOULD be sleeping, but am instead up because of a child. Exhausted, I could be upset. I may not be the kindest, gentlest of parents (or people). If I don’t take joy in the Lord, I won’t be. But if I DO, I can be. The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). I can turn on that joy like a light switch. I can CHOOSE to be joyful. It’s not a feeling. It’s not laughing, singing, and dancing (although that CAN be part of it). It is a choice to emote based on HIM and what HE has done, not my own feelings and situation. In the middle of the night, because of a problem someone ELSE is having, that choice of joy begins easiest through THANKS. I give THANKS to the Lord with my mind and I tell the rest of my soul to do likewise. I can do it for any NUMBER of reasons. Because of what God has done for me personally. For my family. For other members of the Body of Christ that I know about. Because of things in the Word. Because of His character. Because He IS love and He LOVES us. It is unending. If I am really stuck – because of exhaustion or whatever issue I am faced with – there is always the language of the Psalms. On those nights I let David do my homework, but I find I can easily join with his sentiments. The Lord IS good. The Lord IS righteous. His righteous judgments are just and merciful and gracious and true. He is AWESOME. He LOVES me. And He IS my God!