What happens when you have a joyful response?

 

 

What if you run your day by starting with a joyful response instead of letting feelings and circumstances run you?

For instance, you could get up and proclaim:

“THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE. WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.” ~ Ps 118:24

Or any of 100s of other joyful responses found in the Scriptures. These can set the course of your day and even reset your direction for life.

The Virgin Mary has a joyful response to God’s Word.

The Virgin Mary has a most excellent joyful response. When the angel announced that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would conceive the Christ child, Mary did not say, Oh, woe is me. What are people going to think? No. She said, “Let it be to me according to your Word” (Luke 1: 38).

The moment Mary agreed with God’s plan, she conceived. When she embraced her God-given destiny, she was graced with grace and received eternal blessing.

Mary later proclaimed, “My soul does magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).

Yes, Mary is unique. Out of many females, God selected her to conceive, carry, and bear His incarnate son! Yet, Mary’s words encourage us always to have a joyful response to God’s miraculous Word for beautiful outcomes.

A joyful response opens the doors to miracles.

Can you imagine seemingly insignificant you being in your modest little room when suddenly a glorious heavenly being appears? And he starts talking with you and telling you wonderful things?

For a young girl, Mary sure was composed. She listened to the marvelous things the angel announced. “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women” (Luke 1:28).

When Mary knew God sent this angel, she responded: “Let it be to me according to your Word.” Later, she broke out in a joyful response, saying:

“My soul does magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

Wait a minute! That was 60 years before the apostle Paul wrote Hebrews 4:12! (That’s the verse that says, “For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit”)

How did this young girl know there was a difference between soul and spirit? And, how did she know the soul magnifies, and the spirit rejoices? She knew because God the Holy Spirit illuminated her.

Five takeaways from Mary’s story

1. Rejoice
2. You are unique and highly favored
3. The Lord is with you
4. Magnify the Lord, not the circumstances
5. Receive God’s Word for your life

Rejoice

Your spirit (the real you) is supposed to rejoice (literally “jump for joy”) in God, our Savior. The Lord saves us daily—healing, delivering, preserving, protecting, providing. How can we not have a joyful response to Him? So:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” ~ Philippians 4:4

You are unique and highly favored.

There will never be another Virgin Mary. Neither will there be another you! You, too, are unique and highly favored for something only you can do.

The Lord is with you.

Mary’s conception was easy, but her delivery difficult. That’s a whole other article. However, as with Mary, the Lord is Immanuel, with us, God. (Mt 1:23)

Magnify the Lord, not the circumstances.

Circumstances are temporary. The Lord, however, is eternal. So, magnify (enlarge, make significant) the Lord.

When you have a joyful response, you open doors to:

• illumination
• inspiration
• miracles
• purpose
• creative ideas
• great opportunities
• positive change

Receive God’s Word.

Receive God’s Word into your heart. Proclaim: “Let it be to me according to Your Word.” Then, whatever He says to you, do it. (John 2:5)

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What is your favorite scripture for joyful responses? Feel free to post your comments.

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My latest book, the Simplicity of Hearing God: 21 Ways God Speaks to Us, encourages readers to get to know a God who loves to talk. Through simple, relatable stories, illustrations, and scriptures, each chapter shows ways God speaks to us. A must-read for anyone who wants to understand more clearly ways God communicates with us.