Songs of Joy
July 26, 2017·Jon Berglund
“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” Psalm 65:8
Where there is faith, there is no scarcity, and therefore there’s no lack of joy.
That’s a lesson my daughter has been teaching me. Eisley, who’s now almost 16 months old, loves life. While she knows quite well that she won’t get everything she wants, she has no lack for shelter, food, clothing, or love. She has all that she needs, and she’s as happy as can be.
I, on the other hand, despite having just as much shelter, food, clothing, and love, tend to think in terms of scarcity. I get angry when I don’t think I have enough food (yeah, I get hangry). I get lazy when I don’t get as much rest as I would like. And I get scared when the bank account doesn’t look like I thought it would.
Sure, Eisley also gets hangry, a bit lethargic, and even a little scared (she’s 16 months after all!). But it doesn’t last. She might be upset one moment, but the very next she’s downing her food and dancing to the Moana soundtrack.
But it’s not just the food and music that make her happy (I’ve used that formula with little success); it’s how quickly she forgets what she lacks and how much she trusts me and Anna to take care of her. She’ll move right past scarcity, back to abundance. But I… I let scarcity become a mindset. I forget how much my Heavenly Father cares for me.
Psalm 65 reminds us that God is a God of abundance. He who answers our prayers and forgives our sins fills us with the good things of His house. He who formed the mountains and stilled the roaring seas answers us with awesome and righteous deeds.
So then, how can I not join my daughter in singing? How can I not, like her, be overjoyed? Just as He waters the land, just as He fills the streams, just as He clothes the hills with grass, so He will not only provide for my every need, but overflow that goodness into every area of my life. Every day, His carts overflow with abundance.
Where morning dawns, where evening fades, He calls forth songs of joy.
