Joy in the Lord

A very wise woman said, “If you’re going to do a work for the Lord, it might as well be something you enjoy doing.”  John 15:11 speaks of having the joy of Jesus in you and that your joy may be full.   He made this statement on the eve of His crucifixion!  Think of it. Jesus was facing the cross.  Yet, His main concern was for his disciples to have JOY.  Having joy doesn’t always mean a party. Sometimes, you have to decide to be joyful in the Lord, in the midst of your situation. Along with joy, comes humor. Sometimes, humor helps diffuse a tense situation.  The words humor and humility both have the Latin root word of “humus” which means of the earth. When we maintain a sense of humor about life, it reminds us of our powerlessness apart from the Lord.  Humor shows us how far, in our humanity, that we fall short of the glory of God.  Paul said to forget what’s in the past and to push for the future. When you don’t feel like having joy or humor, remember Psalm 2:4, “The One whose throne is in heaven, sits laughing.”  Maybe the cartoon artist, Bill Keane author of The Family Circus, was on to something when he penned the thought that today is a gift and yesterday is the past. The medical field also considers laughter a serious factor in a rapid recovery for the sick.   Proverbs 17:22 tell us that if our heart is merry, it does good like a medicine. Not only is it possible to have joy in the Lord, the Bible strongly encourages us to be of good cheer.  While you’re JOYFULLY about the Lord’s business, look up & see if you can imagine a huge smile across His face.