Your Joy will Overflow!

Orchids in a tropical setting

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:11 NLT

Dear Lord, I love the image of “joy—as overflowing.” In my mind, I can picture a basket of flowers or vegetables from the garden, brimming, falling over the edge. I see this as bounty, abundance, and a means of blessing!

Preceding this verse is a promise. Let’s look at it: “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”

I’m noticing that in these two Scriptures, Lord, You connect love and joy. They remind me of the need to “remain in Your love,” to keep myself in Your company. In other words, if joy is to overflow in my life, there is a direct correlation with the abundance of time that I spend with You (or lack thereof). Thank You, God, for teaching my heart to seek You. I want to grow in Your truth and ways. Fill me with Your love; fill me with Your joy. And let these qualities overflow to those around me, I pray. Amen.

If joy is overflowing from us, we must have a Source of filling (the Lord). We must be feeding, growing, and sowing seeds of God’s Word for His kingdom!

This is an excerpt from How Does Your Garden Grow? Devotional, and is available as a free ebook Here.

The Garden Maiden

Garden Maiden

We were met in the garden,

By this lovely maiden.

Her arms overflowed with greenery,

Herbs and flowers,

That were all a-bloom.

Grass formed her skirt;

Trees gave her shade,

To yield her “fruits” of the earth.

But her presence here,

In this space,

That was alive,

Reminded me,

That God is the One,

Who makes all things grow,

To be productive.

“ The earth produced plant life: plants yielding seeds, each according to its kind, and trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was.”

Genesis 1:12 (CEB)

Whether plants or humankind,

We are held, nurtured,

In His hands.

We are made in His image,

Molded and shaped,

To share in the harvest,

Of His love and grace,

Upon the earth,

—Which yields souls,

Forever and a day,

For all eternity.

Like the vessel held in the arms of my garden maiden, we are likewise held in the arms of God—to produce life, growth, and the fruits of love—upon the earth until we arrive in our forever home in the restored Eden, paradise.

Lord, make us like a garden—beautiful, planted, growing, and thriving—so that we draw others into the space of eternity, into the invitation of Your heart’s keeping. Amen.

For Further Study: Genesis 1:11, Genesis 1:29, Deuteronomy 32:2, Ezekiel 47:12

This is an excerpt from the Let Everything that has Life ... Praise Devotional, and is available as a free ebook Here.

by: deborah goshorn-stenger 2 Pause and Praise Creations ©