Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Raw Beautiful Joy

I was stumped this past week in bible study when the writer urged me to think about characteristics of God.  Lots of things come to mind when I think of God: holy, righteous, love, sacrifice, forgiveness, grace, mercy and the Sunday school list just goes on....

But the writer talked about Joy.  The verse quoted was John 15:11, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

She prompted us to think about God and joy.

To be painfully honest I was embarrassed...even in front of just myself and God.

Joy is not a frontrunner of thought when I think about God. 

I am thinking that this clearly indicates my pessimistic mindset most of the time. Ouch.

Obviously I am wrong here.

God IS joy.

It is a part of His nature.

Just like I grin at my own children when they do things that are trademarks of who they are....I think he grins at us too.  The way we hold our mouth in deep concentration or the way we prefer certain foods over others....

He delights is us.  He delights in His creation.  He delights in our praise of Him.

He delights often but somehow, if you are like me, you rarely focus on that attribute.

A couple of weeks ago I was slapped in the face by a moment of rare, beautiful and raw joy.

A small group of us had met to pray on Sunday evening.  We had broken off into four separate groups to pray for our church, revival, the lost, and some of our most pressing needs.

In my little group sat a man enduring a trial that all parents fear.  His daughter is battling cancer.  She is 10 years old...beautiful, innocent and eyes teeming with vigor and life.  Her recent diagnosis has rocked our church body.  This family is precious.  They serve Jesus and our church with consistency and without complaint.  A rare combination. 
After our time of prayer I asked him how we could continue to specifically pray for each member of his family. He shared a few specifics with our little group. Then he said these words with a genuine grin on his face and tears standing in his eyes, " I hate that I waited this long to come and pray.  I hate that I waited for her cancer to bring me here.   My faith has exploded over the past month.  I know that God wants to use me as I meet others at the hospital who are angry and bitter over the  touch of cancer."

I pray looking back that my mouth was not completely agape. 

But who cares really?

This man, broken and desperate for his daughter, showed me joy. 

He did not sugar coat the pain that he and his family are enduring.  He did not deny that fear comes knocking often.  His face showed the strain and stress that he carries with him. But he also spoke with hope and resolve, tears and a grin.  Yes~ a grin.  Jesus is His closest companion these days. And Jesus gives joy that cannot be explained or understood.

Circumstances cannot touch the joy that Jesus brings.  That being said I believe that joy is not attainable without a relationship with Jesus.

In the seasons of life when troubles overtake us He alone Is our joy.

There is nothing else. 

No wonder we catch glimpses of unbelievable joy amidst those suffering with pain or heartache.  Who looks to the people who seem to have the world by a string and wear constant smiles? 
When every need is met and life is well and good no one even cares to notice the smiles.

It's the others we study.

We watch the people going through the valleys of despair and thank our lucky stars that it isn't us.  But we watch....and wait...and keep watching.

We want to see real JOY.

And when we do catch them in the moment....tears streaming...and somehow catch that smile that shouldn't be there...we know that Jesus is close by.

 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love.  If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.  I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.  My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you. " John 15: 9-12










1 comment:

Calven said...

I must say you are having very deep thoughts and i absolutely agreed with you. We always keep watching other sorrow, tears and do nothing for them we just remain busy in our lives at least we should remember them in our prayers and try to help them. During my visit to acadia national park tours i happened to meet a person who was worried about his wife, she was also surfing with cancer.two small babies. i asked him for any type of help but he said, he just need for prayers. Life is a big gift of God always use it in best ways.