Friday, January 29, 2021
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Stained Glass at Summerfield United Methodist
#asparrowsviewphotography
#doorsopenmilwaukee
#stainedglass
Sunday, January 3, 2021
Joy
Joy. A
noun. Definition: a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
This
holiday season while I was setting out our Christmas décor, I noticed how many
of the festive items had the word “joy” on them. Several have the phrase “Joy
to the World” or simply the single word “joy.” Obviously, I have seen these all
before but for some reason that one word really stuck out to me. Maybe because of
what a strange and crazy and even tough year 2020 was and this word in
particular does not seem to be top on the list to describe that year. Whatever
the reason, the word has stuck with me this Christmas season.
From
time to time, I will post a question on my Facebook page and ask either
something fun or something more thoughtful. Recently I asked how people defined
joy. What brought them joy? There were several answers ranging from their
kids/family members, worship, to being in church and in the presence of God. A
couple of individuals said joy is Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last.
I was taught that when I attended a Christian elementary school.
Two
other definitions posted by friends really stood out to me. “Joy is being in
the center of God’s will for your life” and “the settled assurance that God is
in control.”
I looked
up the Biblical definition of joy. Here’s what I found: Biblical
definition: Definition:
Joy means an intense, ecstatic, celebrative, and/or exultant happiness or
pleasure. The biblical Greek term the apostle Paul wrote about
in Galatians is chara: joy, cheer, gladness, or celebration.
After
finding the Biblical definition, I searched the Bible. The word joy is in Scripture
over 150 times. Two verses that came to mind while contemplating all of this
care James 1:2-3 “Consider it all joy, my brothers and
sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of
your faith produces endurance.”
Consider it a joy to have trials? That seems a little
opposite of normal thinking. I’ll admit I don’t exactly have happiness or feel
like celebrating when a trial or low point comes my way. But yet the Bible says
we should count it all joy.
Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit that we are to have.
At Christmas time we sing joy to the world because the Lord
has come.
Most everyone I’m sure is hoping that this new year is much
better than this last one. And that it is full of more joy and happiness than
2020 was. But what if it isn’t? What if…(I won’t finish that…) Is it possible
to still have joy even if life isn’t going as planned?
I think keeping perspective is a big key to having joy no
matter what is going on. Those of us who are Christ followers know that this
world is not our real home. We are just passing through. Our real home is
Heaven. This life is temporary. We can have joy in our heart. We can have joy
when we know we are in the center of His will for our life and know that no
matter what, He’s got this. He knows the beginning and the end. We may not
enjoy the trial that has come into our life. But if we keep our focus on Him,
we can find joy in the midst of our circumstances.
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