In Psalm 16, the psalmist speaks of the joy he has in God. God is the source of all joy and without him even the pleasures of life leave us empty. I remember going down to the beach early one morning, before sunrise, for a surf. It was cold and dark, and I could hear big waves crashing in the distance. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. I was cold, I couldn’t see far ahead of me as I paddled out, so I was afraid and, to be honest, I felt like turning around and going back to bed. And then the sun came out. It transformed everything. As it reflected off the red cliffs and sparkled on the glassy lines of swell it created the most beautiful effect. The world lit up around me; it was wonderful. It was the same beach as before, but my experience of it was transformed. The sun changed everything. It was beautiful, soothing and it brought the beauty of my surroundings to light. This is the difference between living with and without God. Without God, we are left in the dark, unable to see clearly and afraid of what is up ahead. We can be surrounded by good things but our inner emptiness disables us from really enjoying them. But when the light of God’s presence shines in us it changes everything. We will see and appreciate things we did not see or appreciate before. Our hearts will be warmed, our spirits stilled, and we will be able to slow down and enjoy every moment with God at our side. Who would want to live any differently?
Ask God to draw you closer to himself.
Read Psalm 16
