There is an age where one begins to feel so much has been lost that deaths frost has already been experienced. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But it doesnt seem so. I am reminded again of that (for me) very, very difficult command of Scripture: Rejoice always. Ridiculous! Rejoice *when*? Always. Dear God, you dont set the bar very high, do you? And yet, what if I do consider joy itself something that I must exercise rather than simply something that arrives unbidden? Putting on the mind of Christ takes discipline. It isnt easy. It takes knowing His mind, for one thing. It takes desiring His will before my own. Do I rejoice always out of a desire to be happy.... or out of obedience to Christ? And what do I rejoice about? My Dearling, yes. My children, that they are healthy and engaged on finding their way. My friends in their own journeys. I rejoice when justice is done, or even when injustice is done and I am given an opportunity (however tiny) to exert energy against that injustice. But most of all, I rejoice that Love is. I rejoice in the Holy, Suffering, Jesus... the God/Man who beckons to those who are weary, broken, filled with grief, crushed by their own bad choices, rejected by others, rejected even by themselves. I rejoice that he loves each one truly, fully (which means unendingly), hungerly. He is the Beloved. And if this perfect, crucified and resurrected Lover is at the heart of All Things, then I do indeed have reason to rejoice... even if my feelings cannot at the moment cooperate. My Beloved.... I rejoice in and because of You.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 14:17:51 +0000
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