Tag: Joy

Today’s Word Is … WHEEEEEE

A story of a child’s spontaneous joy.
Tue-Jan-21-2020

My wife and I took one of our granddaughters on a train ride at Chattanooga’s Railroad Museum when she was about 3 or 4 years old. We had recently been discussing with her the concept that God is with us everywhere we go. So, we reminded her as we were on the train that God is with us, even on train rides.

Have you ever ridden this vintage train? It takes you from a station near Jersey Pike, eventually through a tunnel, and ends up in East Chattanooga. As we went through the tunnel, the light was dim but not totally dark. We were going a little downhill, and feeling the cool breeze from the open windows, we all held our hands up, and said, “Wheeeeeee!”

A little later, she must have begun to wonder … if God is with us on this train ride, what was he thinking about this “wheeeeee” experience? So, her curiosity led her to query us about it. “Does God say wheeeeee when he goes through the tunnel?” And I said, ”Yes!”

Believe it or not, this is biblical. First God is always with you. And then God delights in the fact that you are enjoying life and his creation, and even enjoys them with you!

“The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

So, I would say … yes! … God says, “Wheeeeee!” right along with us!

You should always be aware that God  loves you and is with you. But let me put a twist to it. God loves the fact that you belong to him, that you flourish under his watch care, and that you enjoy the life he gave you. Life with God is good. It can bring out the joy in you, and you need that.

I hope that sometimes, because of the experience of the moment and the reality of his presence, you just let loose and say, “Wheeeeee!”

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Another Scripture:

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Prayer for the Day:

Father God, I thank you for the blessing of your constant presence. I believe that there is nothing in this world that can separate me from your love, and that in your presence, surrounded by your love, I can be  spontaneously filled with your joy. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Today’s Christmas Word Is … JOY

Wed-Dec-18-2019

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, celebrity Brad Pitt reflected on his lead role in the movie Fight Club, which is about a man who has the American dream and yet remains unsatisfied:

Pitt: Man, I know all these things are supposed to seem important to us—the car, the condo, our version of success—but if that’s the case, why is the general feeling out there reflecting more isolation and desperation and loneliness? If you ask me, I say toss all this—we gotta find something else. Because all I know is that, at this point in time, we are heading for a dead end, a numbing of the soul, a complete atrophy of the spiritual being. And I don’t want that.

Rolling Stone: So, if we’re heading toward this kind of existential dead end in society, what do you think should happen?

Pitt: Hey, man, I don’t have those answers yet. The emphasis now is on success and personal gain. [smiles] I’m sitting in it, and I’m telling you, that’s not it. I’m the guy who’s got everything. I know. But I’m telling you, once you’ve got everything, then you’re just left with yourself. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it doesn’t help you sleep any better, and you don’t wake up any better because of it.

Citation: Rolling Stone Magazine (10-28-1999)

The life of a follower of Jesus is supposed to be filled with joy. I must admit, however, that it hasn’t always been for me. It’s taking me a very long time to understand and receive all the gifts of Jesus. I wish I could say that every church does a great job of teaching us how to be joyful, but alas … not so.

If you are one of God’s slow learners, like I am, I would like to help you speed things up. To understand the meaning of joy, let’s discuss the difference between joy and fun.

Jesus said, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

We always say to people, “Have fun!” And fun is good. The joyful life of a Christian includes lots of fun!

Fun and joy are different in these ways:

Fun is temporary … Joy is permanent. Fun is sought … Joy is received. (The Scripture above says it came from Jesus.) Fun does not guarantee that we will also have peace and joy. Joy on the other hand is released within us by the hope and peace that characterize who we are.

Fun by the world’s standards can sometimes involve destructive behavior. People may get hurt feelings or may destroy friendships. The well-being of others is not necessarily a consideration. The point is to make oneself feel better. And when the activity is over and the fun goes away, sometimes they are left with an emptiness. Eventually they become desperate for another “fix” because there is no inherent joy that keeps residence in their spirit. This is the condition Brad Pitt spoke of in his interview.

Fun for the Christian is designed to bless everyone involved, not just oneself.

I invite you, if you are not already doing so, to let the joy loose in your life. When you receive good news, rejoice! The shepherds who were watching over their flocks must have had the promises of God built into them. The Israelites were trained to memorize Scripture. Only the elite class could read. The common people would do their best to store God’s Word in their hearts. So, when the angels spoke and sang of the birth of the Savior, they knew exactly what that meant. Their eyes lit up; their hearts leapt. They didn’t wait until tomorrow to check it out.

When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.” (Luke 2:15)

Someone tried to teach us about joy when we were kids. Sadly, many adults have forgotten how to sing it and still mean it. “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart … down in my heart to stay!”

Christmas Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is … DANCE

Tue-Nov-26-2019
You can talk about the pro’s and con’s of the other side of the fence, but eventually you’ve got to just hop over.

“Life is not about how you survive the storm, it’s about how you dance in the rain.” – Anonymous

It is certain that we will have troubles in this life. But these troubles do not have to rob us of our joy, because:

FIRST – There is a great joy coming that outweighs everything. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” – The Apostle Paul (2nd Corinthians 4:17)

SECOND – As blessings come and we grow in faith, the troubles are forgotten. “For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.” – The Prophet Isaiah (65:16b)

THIRD – We have help from God who can overcome them for us. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – Jesus (John 16:33)

I hope you can learn sooner than I did to let loose and “dance in the rain.” You can make up lots of reasons not to, which I have done. But it is highly unlikely that you will get the courage to dance in spite of troubles by coming up with “logical reasons” that you should do it. You might just have to decide in a crazy moment … why not just dance! Of course, dancing can be embarrassing. But embarrassment can be quite the thief. How much has it stolen from you?

There may not be anything in your circumstances that says you have the right to dance, the desire to dance, or the energy to dance. But don’t let that stop you!

For me, it was a little like jumping a fence. You can talk about the pro’s and con’s of the other side of the fence, but eventually you’ve got to just hop over. And the people around you will just have to get used to what you are like on the dancing side of the fence.

Go ahead and dance in the rain,

Chaplain Mark