April 6 - Reading 4: Psalm 15-17, 19

“In Your presence is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11)

In today’s Psalms, David expresses grave concern for his life. But then he moves his focus from the difficulties of this temporal, earthly experience to the permanence of the eternal. “As for me,” he says, “I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

When we turn our eyes from this world to the next, what a beautiful place to find rest for our souls. There are so many things beyond our control in this short experience we call life. Right now, it may seem like our difficulties will last forever. But this life will be over before we know it. Then we will experience fullness of joy in His presence forever.

Fullness of joy! We can’t even begin to comprehend what that would be like. In perfected bodies, there will be no more pain, no sickness, no sorrow, no more stresses, no anxiety, no uncertainty. It’s hard to imagine a life like that, for all eternity! But what we do know is that it will be even more amazing than we can begin to imagine. “Beloved, it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

May our hearts be filled with the wonder of it all — that He would love us so much that He would come and live a perfect life and die such a horrific death in order for us to be with Him for all eternity. Such love! Such joy! Such hope!

As we read these Psalms today and intercede on behalf of each other and our nation, may we be energized with certainty today. Regardless of the circumstances we face, they cannot impact our eternal destiny. In the twinkling of an eye, we will all be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52). So let’s keep our eye on the eternal and, in what will seem like just a blink, we will be with Him for all eternity.