Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.—Psalm 21:6

The Scriptures often speak of God’s presence in human history. The Hebrew term for “presence” is panim, which can be translated further to mean “face,” implying a close and personal encounter with God.

In this scripture David proclaimed that he was most blessed forever, but it was the presence of God that was his greatest blessing and gladness. David was more pleased with the simple presence of God than with the crown of victory over his enemies. This is the purest stream to drink from. God’s presence is unparalleled by anything else. David never hesitated to cry out to God and express any emotion, whether it be his anger, sadness, sorrow, or gladness. In this case, David was enamored by God’s presence.

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Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.—Isaiah 52:9

Sometimes when we get upset, sad, or just in a bad mood, our faces tend to show it. A family member or friend—or even a complete stranger—may tell us to cheer up. When this happens to me, I usually smile in response (I try to be polite). But if you’re anything like me, you’re thinking they have a lot of nerve telling you to get happy! After all, they have no idea what’s making you frown.

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I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. —Isaiah 61:10

In Isaiah 61, we have one of the most beautiful pictures of the good news of Jesus and His purpose. His good news is about receiving double! I mean, who doesn’t want things in double? This verse is like living in a Doublemint Gum commercial! Everything in this verse comes in pairs. We see rejoicing and joyfulness; we see salvation and righteousness; we see ornamentation and bejeweling.

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“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” —Luke 12:32

I can only imagine the shepherds’ fearful faces in Luke 2 when the angel of the Lord appears. Interestingly, the first phrase spoken by the angel, “Do not be afraid,” parallels Jesus’ instructions in today’s devotional verse, “Do not fear.” Has life ever presented you with a situation or circumstance that seemed scary while you were in the moment?

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