Into His Joy, Here And Now
Turning the key, stepping into the joy Jesus already made home.
Devotional Credit: His Victorious Indwelling, compiled by Nick Harrison, featuring selections for October 2, including John Darby
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Thomas blurted out what his eyes finally saw, my Lord and my God. Today’s reading lingers there, reminding us that Jesus is wonderfully near to our humanity in all things but sin. He grew, worked, wept, prayed, and loved. He was tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sin. He receives people others keep at arm’s length, and His presence is not fragile around brokenness. Like clear water entering a stagnant place, His life purifies rather than getting polluted.
Nick Harrison’s curation draws a tender line. The object of Jesus’ love is to bring us into the enjoyment of all that He Himself enjoys. This is not an invitation to try harder so we can be worthy companions. This is a call to share His life. He comes close, calls us by name, quiets our fears, and walks with us in ordinary rooms at ordinary hours.
There is a beautiful honesty here. We confess Jesus as God, yet we sometimes live as if joy sits outside of us, waiting until our behavior finally measures up. The gospel tells a different story. By grace, we are united with the risen Lord. Joy does not leak in from the edges. Joy rises from His indwelling life.
So I am grateful for John Darby’s sentence and for the voices in this reading that keep pointing us home. Jesus does not simply tolerate us. He delights to share with us what the Father has given Him. In Him, we are welcomed into the warmth of His own fellowship, His peace, His glad obedience, His steady love.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I draw you to confess Jesus as Lord and God. I open your eyes to see the One who took on flesh, shared your weakness without sin, and now lives forever. In Him you are united to My life. You were crucified with Him, and you live by faith in the Son of God. Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to Me. Present yourselves to Me, and I will work in you what pleases Me.
I have given you every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Jesus. My joy is in you as you abide in Him. You are a new creation. Your life is hidden with Him in Me. I dwell in you, and you are My own. Draw near with confidence. I receive sinners and remake hearts. I call you by name. I set My love upon you, not because of your performance, but because you are in My Son.
Walk with Me today. Set your mind on the things above. Let the peace of the Messiah rule in your heart. I am faithful to complete what I began. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you. You share His inheritance with all My people. In Him you enjoy what He enjoys, fellowship with Me, obedience from the heart, and love that does not fail.
Real-Life Analogy
Picture unlocking your front door after a long day. The warmth is already inside. The lights, the familiar scent from the kitchen, the soft hum of home, none of it starts when you arrive. You simply turn the key and step into what is present. Life with the indwelling Spirit is like that. Jesus has already brought you into His household. Joy, peace, and welcome are not rewards you earn. They are the atmosphere of His life in you.
A simple practice for tonight. Before you step into a family conversation that could turn tense, pause at the doorway and set your heart toward Him. Say, Lord, I trust You to share Your joy through me as I enter this room. Then speak gently, listen fully, and let His calm shape your words.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that Jesus is my Lord and my God. Thank You that He became truly human without sin, that He welcomes the unlikely, and that He now lives in me by Your Spirit. I rejoice that You have joined me to His life. I agree with You that I am a new creation, dead to sin and alive to You. I receive the joy that is already mine in Your Son. I walk today in His peace, His love, and His nearness. Amen.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
John 20:28; Hebrews 2:14-18; Hebrews 4:15-16; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4-11; Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 1:3; John 15:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:1-4; John 10:3-4; Luke 15:2; Matthew 9:10-13; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:4-7; Colossians 1:12-14; Colossians 2:9-10; Romans 5:5; Romans 8:14-17; John 17:13; John 17:22-24; Romans 8:32; Philippians 2:9-11