Scripture: Luke 10:21
At that very moment, Jesus overflowed with joy from the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you’ve hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and shown them to babies. Indeed, Father, this brings you happiness…”
Thought for the Day: The wonderful author on Spiritual Formation, Richard Foster, wrote the following:
Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience.
We need to be light-hearted in what we do
to avoid taking ourselves too seriously.
It is a cheerful revolt against self and pride.
What things bring God joy? It sure appear as if joy in it’s simplest and unornamented form is what God seeks. Too often joy becomes attached to the accumulation of stuff or money. That is probably worldly happiness, not the joy of faith. I think of the child who was sent to his room because of bad behavior – no tv or toys. A few minutes later, the boy’s parents find him laying on the bed with his pillowcase hanging from his shoulders like a cape. He is pretending to fly.
In the worst and most bleak of situations, the imagination of a child can find joy. Now God does not dismiss or ignore our struggles, but God desires for us to seek joy no matter the circumstance…and when we find it, it brings joy to God.
Prayer: Give me an open heart, Father and Lord of Heaven. Allow me to glimpse the things that bring you joy, for I believe in faith that such things will bring me joy. Amen.
Let’s Make Chris Feel Welcome
And let us learn what we can do
on issues of human trafficking…
especially as we approach that Big Football Game.
