PSALM 16:11.

You will show me the way of life,

    granting me the joy of your presence

    and the pleasures of living with you forever.

TO PONDER

I will always remember the adage that was shared with me by almost every lecturer I had as I studied my education degree; you probably know it yourself, "those who can't do, teach". It always bothered me that I might be expected to ask students to do something that I myself may not be able to do. It probably didn't happen so often as a teacher but it happens all the time now that I am a pastor.

This verse from Psalm 16 is a challenge to all of us. It say's, "God will show us the way of life and grant us the joy of his presence and the pleasures of living with him forever."

He has shown us all of that in Jesus. Yet how often do we want to try and find those things for ourselves. We try to decide and plan how our lives will play out and usually only get ourselves stressed out and anxious when our plans go off the rails. We look for joy in so many other things that are not God, our relationships with others, parties, travel, shopping, the list is endless. We try to earn our way into God's presence by our good behaviour or good works and yet don't want to live with him in every moment, especially those moments when our sinful and selfish desires get the better of us.

I can show you where the Bible says that all this comes from God. I can tell you that there is nothing any of us can do to earn or deserve any of this. I can tell you (and already have) that all these things come from Christ who was born to us at Christmas; but just like the adage says, 'Those who can't do, teach'. I would not want anyone to think for a second that I find this easy to do. I know I am encouraging and asking you to do something that I myself often fail at. But the real joy comes at times like this when we can be reminded that it does not rely on us, but that all we need is found in Jesus, the Son of God, born to us At Christmas.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Please help me to start living with you forever now. Help me not to wait until I die to begin my eternal life with you. Please help me to be aware of your presence with me in every season and to live in the joy of knowing your presence with me. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle