joy

Tuesday, April 19, 2011 (6:15 a.m.)

Blessed Lord,

Much earlier I had a song. It kept me good company throughout the predawn hours. I planned to come look up the words and continue singing it to You. But instead I want You to speak to me again about joy. Would that be okay?

On Sunday Pastor Ed referenced joy as being constant. It doesn’t rise and fall because of happenings. No. That’s happiness. It doesn’t have loud crescendos or places of great emphasis. He said, “Joy is like the cello line of the symphony.”

While looking up ‘cello line’ just now, I again got distracted and started to click on other things Internet related. And there You were singing to me again. The same song I couldn’t think of just moments ago. ♫You alone are the matchless King♫

Lord. How I thank You. I NEED Your reminders! Left to my own devices, I tend to take myself so very far away from You.

Thank You that in the wait time for looking thinks up, I started reading through the calendar days of Cherished Thoughts. One by Wilfred Peterson presents the truth that “Joy is the flag you fly when the Prince of Peace is in residence within your heart.” Yes Lord! You in my life HAS to equal out to joy!

So where do we go from here? I remember seeking joy this past summer. Whenever circumstances weren’t to my liking I looked past them, ever searching for that illusive mother lode of joy.

Oh but it’s not illusive at all is it Lord? In our Treasury of God’s Virtues, under the photo of a bright yellow bird sitting on a limb is the following “Open Up to Joy We miss so much joy just because we don’t open ourselves up to all there is to enjoy. We can choose to embrace all the joy that today has to bring. There are joys which long to be ours. God sends ten thousand truths, which come about us like birds seeking inlet; but we are shut up to them, and so they bring us nothing, but sit and sing a while upon the roof and then fly away. HENRY WARD BEECHER, LIFE THOUGHTS (1858)”.

Lord God. I long to open up to joy! In reading again of Paul’s letter to the Philippians in The Life Recovery Bible, another recovery theme points out, “When we admit our powerlessness and turn our life over to God, we not only start our recovery but also take our first steps toward finding true joy. We can have joy even during the tough times – because joy does not come from outward circumstances, but from inward strength. Joy comes from knowing Christ personally and from depending on His strength and power on a daily basis.”

How perfect that this truth would lead me straight back to the underlying verse I have been thinking since first beginning our interchange about joy. Nehemiah 8:10, “… for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” I keep getting it backwards Lord. Still I attempt summoning up the strength to find the joy.

Open me up to joy, Lord. The cello line in Your great symphony of life. I love You so very much. Thank You. Amen.

(547 words ~ 8:21 a.m.)