SEEPING OR DRAINING?



Image result for clipart showing joyJoy is the theme of Philippians, whose author is Paul.  It has been written from a Roman jail.  Joy is one of the fruit that the Spirit of God gives to us.  In looking up the word, joy, in the Greek, I note that it comes from the same root word as the word, grace.  Joy is to be calmly happy, another inner work of the heart and the spirit within us which is NOT contingent on whether my circumstances are good or hellishly bad. My emotions are not meant to be the gauge to determine my joy. 

One of the earliest expressions of joy was when the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were attending their flock of sheep.  "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11.  

I remember as a young pastor's wife, there was an elderly gentleman in our church family that called me weekly just to talk.  His wife, Mazie was an invalid from a stroke she had suffered.  He was her care-giver.  He missed her words!   So to have someone to speak with, he called me.  His conversations usually were so fear-filled, now that I am close to his age, I DO understand more fully.  I use to quote Paul's words from Philippians 4:4-7, "Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again;  Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every thing, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hears and your minds in Christ Jesus."   How very often this Scripture passage and Jack Golden have tugged on my heart when my own situation just looked and felt desperate.  

When the affairs of my life have become my focus, I know that joy is one of the first fruit to seep and to drain from my spirit.  I am reminded of David's words from Psalm 51 when he recognized his sin, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."  Joy is not meant to be of Christmas usage only, it is the fruit of the Spirit of God who indwells me and I get to draw it from Him all the time.  I have been negligent to call upon the Spirit requesting that joy prevails in spite of my emotions and the desperation I have felt.  I have usually been guilty of moving into fretting, stewing, and disappointment and then I have the "ah-ha" moment.  Where has my joy gone?  I have allowed the cares and distractions of life to seep and drain joy out of my life. Today, Oh Lord, restore to me Your joy for it is strength to my life.  Forever learning.  In process.  #IHAVETHREESONS

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THOSE SEEING CAN BECOME BLIND

Image
John 9 is the story of the healing of the blind beggar.  Not only is it a marvelous story of the miraculous healing of the man as he is given his sight, but a sad story of the religious of whom Jesus said, "For judgment, I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind ." The religious have seen the miracle, even though it has taken place on a Sabbath, and they interview the man and his parents for their stories and understanding. I find it so thrilling that the healed man speaks so articulately and logically with the religious in their "interview" with him.  His statement, " Now that is remarkable!  You don't know where HE comes from, yet HE opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners.  He listens to the godly man who does His will.  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." What truth he has spoken to the religious wh
Read more

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress
Read more

ORDER AND DESIGN

Image
    I do not have OCD, but I do confess that I like order in my home.  Now that I am retired, I am not so much into spotless, but "picked up" and "kinda" clean. (Do not open drawers and closets!) I might go to more trouble when I know I am having company, but otherwise, I remove the clutter that seems to reproduce on its own.   When I began the reading in Genesis in January, I was again taken with the with the orderliness and design of God in creation, and have seen Him use Moses and Aaron to ORDERLY marshal the Israelites to move out of Egypt. How do you move some 600+ males and that is not even wives and children? Animals also?  They have been one year+ out of Egypt, and have been camped at Mt. Sinai where God has given them laws for their spiritual and physical welfare.  God gives Moses the design of the Tabernacle and Moses is able to bring together the workers to complete the Tabernacle.   The clip art at the top is the positioning of the 12 Tribes and the
Read more