It’s Finally Friday…and I’m Pastor James St. John
I know…it’s almost too easy. Today, July 7, 2023, is World Chocolate Day. It’s the sort of day that all of us with an unbridled sweet tooth love to celebrate…so, we will. Let’s agree, together, that, today of all days, we can all be thankful for the many sweet blessings that God has given us…like, s’mores, chocolate covered peanuts, the Cadbury creme egg…need I say more?
Let’s keep it short…and sweet (sorry…had to do it), today. No matter how much I like the sweet things of life, like chocolate, there is nothing sweeter than the presence of Jesus. In the mid-1990’s, Tommy Walker wrote a song about that very thing.
Chorus
It’s the sweet sweet
Sweet presence of Jesus
How it moves my soul
How it makes me whole
It’s the sweet sweet
Sweet presence of Jesus
How it sets me free
Brings me liberty
Verse
Takes me to a higher place
Where there’s amazing grace
Takes me to a higher place
Where I can see His face
Tommy Walker
© 1994 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Songs
I thought it especially appropriate, since we have just celebrated the earthly liberty that we enjoy as citizens of the United States of America on July 4, to celebrate the liberty that truly matters in eternity…that liberty that we only have through Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Bless His Name!
Here’s a video recording of this song of worship.
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
Psalm 34:8 (NRSV)
happy are those who take refuge in him.
Unlike life, that can really be like a box of chocolates, where we never know from moment to moment what may come our way, we can walk with assurance in the presence of Jesus.
3 His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence. 4 Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust and may become participants of the divine nature.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (NRSV)