September 23. Jonah ch 1-3
LET THE JOY KEEP YOU GOING.
Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith (IMAGINATION) depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God’s throne.
Hebrews 12:2 GNT
GOOD DAY. Imagination when it is in agreement with the will of God gives joy beyond human understanding. However, there is a time lag between your imagination and its fulfillment. It is this period that one has to be able to hold on to the imagination until it becomes reality. Jesus is our example in this. He saw the vast number of people who will become children of God in deed through faith in Him. He had the joy of seeing many children like Him. If you can imagine your prayer fulfilled, you will feel a joy that is so deep which is unexplainable. Jesus felt this emotion of joy yet there was a cross he had to carry before He experienced that joy in deed. He could have refused the cross and given up the joy of having you and I as His brother and sister. Jesus moved towards the joy and did refused to sink in the pain.
Whenever we have an imagination awaiting fulfilment, we must learn to recall such imagination and feel the joy of living in it when contradictions come in the natural realm. We must learn to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We don’t need to struggle to bring about fulfillment of the imagination just like Jesus did not struggle to change the cross. He just kept seeing the multitude that will be saved by faith in Him and He bore the cross. It is with joy that we draw water from the well of salvation. Isaiah 12:3 It is not the joy of the cross or your trial being sweet or pleasant rather it is the joy of the salvation from it in your imagination.
As you surrender your imagination to God, fix your gaze on Jesus and see Him asking you to hold on to your imagination as it won’t be long before fulfilment comes.
PRAY: Dear Lord, when the going gets tough, help me to fix my gaze on You and feel the joy of victory that is mine at the end of the cross.