When I was a kid, we used to sing that catchy song of few words, "I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart (where?), down in my heart (where?), down in my heart. I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart (where?), down in my heart to stay." Yesterday at the airport, amidst the tired and resigned passengers in transit, a small girl behind me was piping away with another of those childhood songs, "If you're happy and you know it, [perform some bodily function like clapping your hands]...If you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it, if you're happy and you know it [perform abovementioned function]."
This week's lectionary readings all have the theme of joy in them: joy in the prophecies being fulfilled, in God coming near in Jesus, in the way God raises up the lowly and poor and humbles the rich and those who think they are self-sufficient, in the sure hope we have that Jesus will return to make righteousness and peace spring up all over God's earth and in His sanctified, glorified people, us! I am praying that God will make this inexpressible joy in Jesus (1 Pet 1) spring up down in my heart and overflow so that it is manifested by various outward responses like my speech and the way I live, whatever circumstances I find myself in. After all, because of Jesus, we have a joy that goes deep and demands to be shown, a joy that is the ultimate word over sorrow or anxiety or fear. Praise God!
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5 comments:
Gotta love kids...possibly the only demographic who would even think to display joy while waiting in line at an airport.
And Jesus said that we need to approach like little children to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Maybe part of that is learning how to be joyful, rather than glum with the cares of this world.
Too true. Next time I'm in line in the airport, fellow commuters beware...
lol.
Somehow I doubt that'll be a problem...
Incidentally, what do you expect will be the fate of this blog once you reach the wide steppes?
Mr Gronk? Are you Ben? Who, prithee, are thou? :)
I think Mr Gronk is Ben. I hope to keep up this blog even amidst mountainous terrain...after all, it is the year of living liturgically, not the two months of living liturgically! =p
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