THE DAWN OF JOY

God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of DAWN – Psalm 57:8

God’s prophetic assurance to us today is that our DAWN of JOY will break: “God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of DAWN” (Psa.46:5).  No matter how long the weary night of waiting and weeping has been, in His Calendar your Dawn of Joy will neither be delayed nor denied: “For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning” (Psa.30:5). God’s chastening is momentary, but His favour is for a lifetime.

What kinds of currents are you currently wading through? Consider David: “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping” (Psa.6:6, ESV)? For him, weeping, moaning, and groaning ultimately gave way to rejoicing. His trajectory often began with him pouring out his emotions to God, revealing the depths and degree of his pain: “My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O LORD – how long?” (Psa.6:3). Then, he progressed to calling out for help, knowing that God alone could rescue and restore him: “Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!” (Psa.6:4). His faith was then strengthened as he remembered who God is, reflected on His past grace, and responded in an affirmation of trust in God!

Like David, we must learn to push through in Faith; stay the course on the race; and hold the fort in the battle until victory is won! We must do more than voicing our pains to God, which brings temporary relief, to advancing to the ultimate destination: Faith and Joy – Trust and Worship! The Journey of Faith is made possible in Christ Jesus. He paved the way for us as He followed His own journey in destiny. On that fateful night in Gethsemane’s Garden, He voiced His pain, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death” (Mk.14:34). He cried out to the Father for help: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (14:36). Trusting in the Father’s will, “for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb.12:2).

Jesus personified the heart cries of His people on the cross. He became the fulfilment of all our life’s challenges. And He calls us to cast all our burdens on Him (1Pet.5:7). Because of His finished work we can “come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb.4:16). We can come to Him with all our cares and concerns and know that He hears us, cares for us, and is at work in us. As we cast our burdens on our Saviour and trust for His help, He strengthens us through His Spirit and His Word, refreshes us and renews our faith in Him. In turn, we respond in the glad affirmation of trust and worship. Beloved, by the Grace of the Lord, you can push through the dark night of emotions, knowing that the Light of the Son will rise in you: “weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psa.30:5, ESV).

Scripturally, the dawn or daybreak is a time of mercy, compassion, freedom, and victory. His compassions are “new every morning” (Lam.3:22-23). Psalm 46 is about Jerusalem, a city that was under constant pressure and attack from its enemies because it was constructed for the glory of God, just like our lives are. The Psalm is all about how God defends those who stand for Him. The dawn is the moment of salvation; when God moves into the dark night of the soul, with His deliverance. It’s a time of fulfilment of promise, rescue, Joy and Rejoicing! Beloved, believe God: your night of weeping is over and the morning has come!