John 15:11
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Jesus' words.
He wants to supplant our joy with his joy.
Ours is found in the world and in the humanness of our emotions.
His is found in the eternal.
That which was from the beginning.
Ours is temporary and is dictated to by our situations and circumstances.
Did you ever notice how quickly our joy is robbed and stolen by something that happens during our day?
A flat tire.
A sudden sickness or injury.
A fight or argument between you and your spouse or girl/boy friend. We loose our joy easily when it is rooted and grounded in the world.
A fight or argument between you and your spouse or girl/boy friend. We loose our joy easily when it is rooted and grounded in the world.
We look for joy in the material things of this world. Oh, I know....I've have been filled with joy when I bought a new car....or a new stereo....or a new guitar...joy, man...joy. But that kind of joy is fleeting, and is easily swept away by the darkness of bad situations or circumstances.
When we let God's Holy Spirit work in us, the temporary is replace with the eternal.
Notice that Jesus said that his desire if for his joy to be found in us and that our joy be made complete. Jesus completes me. He brings to fullness all the empty places inside me, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. That is what I need.
The joy of the Lord will be my strength.
We don't really equate joy with strength, but God does.
Joy comes from a stable place that is not easily shaken. That is strength.
Joy comes from the place of communion. From that place, we find that we need no other relationships, by that I mean those which seek to replace God and usurp his authority.
Joy! Truth be known, the older I have gotten the more I find great comfort in the joy of my relationship with Christ. Can't explain it....just know it's true.
Joy......what an incredible word.
May you find it today.
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