Psalm 30:5 b
Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
This will not last forever. There will be joy. It will come again.
Category: joy
What can I give?
As we move each day closer to the birth of Jesus think about what you can bring to him. This video is a wonderful example of that kind of thinking. Enjoy!
There will be signs
Advent 2019: December 6
Luke 21:25-33
Jesus said: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
This sounds pretty scary. Something like some of the climate changes that we are seeing now. This could be a projection from the climatologists. For many centuries there have been prophecies about the end of things. Many have come and gone. We are still here.
The people of Jesus’ time expected him to return in their lifetime. That didn’t happen. Will it happen? We don’t know. We can only live in our belief that he will come in glory. Whether we will see it in our time no one knows. It doesn’t matter. The point is when He does come it will be a time for rejoicing. He will come again.
Concentrate on the good
Philippians 4:8 [Full Chapter]
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
What do we spend our time thinking about? I’d be willing to bet that a lot of the time it does not fit the list above. Too often we are concerned about what someone else has done. We are quick to point out flaws in others. We can also concentrate on all the negative things instead of the positive.
Consider the good things. Remember the gifts that we have been given by God and praise him!
Journey with God
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour. Unknown
Life is never boring. We never know what is around the next corner with one exception. That exception is God. God may have a journey for us that we never imagined. We have to learn to take that journey and find joy in it. God with be with us each step of the way
Please God
Psalm 19:7-9 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
This is a remarkable passage. It tells us what we will be like if we please God. If we follow God’s law our soul will be revived. We will be filled with joy when we please God. Following his commandments lights us up. Fearing God is being like glass…transparent with nothing to make us cloudy.
We can be beautiful inside and out. We only have to please God. It is possible….just look carefully at the life of Jesus Christ and try to follow Him each day.
Morning comes
Psalm 30:5b
Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
With this comes hope. Hope that things will be better. Hope that there will be a morning. It is so easy to not see that when we are in the dark. But there will be a morning. God promises us. Wait for it. The morning comes.
Show your happy face
Dear Child of God, you are loved with a love that nothing can shake, a love that loved you long before you were created, a love that will be there long after everything has disappeared. . . . And God wants you to be like God. Filled with life and goodness and laughter—and joy. —Desmond Tutu
God doesn’t want us to go around with a sad or grumpy face. That kind of expression will certainly not cause others to come to God. A face like that will turn others away from God. Leaning on God every day and knowing that we are loved should bring on a pleasant face. One that will have others asking “what do they know that I don’t?” Show that God loves me! face.
God does laugh
“To listen to some devout people, one would imagine that God never laughs.” Anon
Have you met Christians ready to pummel you with their God? Or the one for whom anything to do with God is a totally serious business. They never laugh when they are talking about him To them, God is a wrathful, angry God. One from only the Old Testament. Jesus taught us about another God. The God who wants us to have a cheerful face. The New Testament God is the one I follow. Christ didn’t have a grumpy face. He went to parties. He drank wine. His face was full of love.
Prayer: Intimate God, let us show a cheerful face to others that we might draw them to you. Help us to teach them about Jesus. Amen
Prayer: Thank you loving God for continuing to give us a chance. We just don’t seem to learn. Forgive us our sins. Amen
Is everything everything?
There must be more to life than having everything. ————-Maurice Sendak
There are many ways to look at having everything but for our culture it usually means having money and or fame. We make idols of the rich and famous. We see them as happy and complete.
If you read about most of them their lives are not what we think. The money and the fame don’t make up for what they are really missing…. a relationship with God. Only God can fill that space inside of us that feels to empty.
Infinite God, you are what fills and completes us. Help us to draw closer to you each day. AMEN
Hear God in Other Voices 