In his Fifteenth Sermon on Canticles, St. Bernard said, “Jesus is honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, and joy in the heart. Is any among us sad? Let Jesus enter the heart, and thence spring to the countenance.”

Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

Psalm 85:6

Easier said than done, right? Circumstances sometimes tend to bring you down. The winter surrounds you with cold harshness, the children suffer lengthy sickness, the job demands more than you want to give, death strikes a family member, or some sin has overtaken you…and the heart is heavy. The Old Testament psalmist asked the Lord to revive the people. They had known God’s goodness, His leading and His faithfulness, but they had forsaken Him. Now they needed to come back to Him, forgiven and in His favor once more.

Where’s your heart, Beloved? Let it be uplifted. You can know Jesus – the salvation He secured for you if only you believe – and reflect that peace in your countenance. Rejoicing comes as you worship the Lord in prayers of repentance and thanksgiving for all He is and does for you. Even as you pray for America’s leaders, let your heart soar in anticipation of what God will do to revive this nation.

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 63:7-16