“The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 29:19.

Did you know you could ask for that? “Fresh joy.” What a glorious phrase! I know that often I need this. I can grow stale and forgetful. I can take my eyes off of Christ. I can lack joy in salvation. But this phrase gives me hope. What does it mean to have fresh joy?

Fresh joy is what the Apostles promised would come by the Holy Spirit: “that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:20). It is a palpable joy. I want to be made freshly aware of the glories of Christ. I want to know His salvation more and more. And as God the Spirit gives greater clarity to the truth, we experience times of refreshing. Our joy is renewed. He gives us fresh joy.

The Meek, The Poor

This fresh joy is not emotionalism, rather it is rooted in the truth of who we are and what God has done. Read it again: “The meek… the poor.” This is not for the haughty, arrogant man. Pride is the enemy of joy. 

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