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Day 25 - Restored Joy

I remember my early days in the University City I pastored in.  Someone told me that I needed to meet Pastor Jerry from the campus church ministry.  What I remember hit me first and foremost of all was his laugh.  It was infectious.  Once I went to a meeting of Rotarians at the University.  There were 150 or so people in the room when I arrived, but within two minutes I knew Jerry was there – his laughter filled the room.

One of the great delights of the pilgrim journey is to discover laughter, joy in the journey.  Thomas Merton, (an American Trappist Monk) was once asked,
“How can you tell if a person has gone through inner, spiritual transformation?
Merton smiled, “Well it is very difficult to tell but holiness is usually accompanied by a wonderful sense of humor.”

The Psalmist agrees…

Psalm 126:1-6
1  When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
2  Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3  The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.
4  Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb!
5  Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
6  He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Joy is often a surprise. 
One moment were deep in worry, wondering what is going to happen.
Waiting for the doctor to come out…
Waiting for the mechanic to walk out and deliver the news…
Watching our children leave home for college…
Then, it all turns out right…Joy. 

It leads to a big smile and even an out-loud laughter.  It doesn’t occur all of the time.  In fact there are probably more times of worry, sadness, and concern than there are days of Joy and laughter.

We are not commanded to have Joy…it happens.  
We walk into it usually with surprise.  We’re walking the pilgrim walk and everything is normal, but all of a sudden, the beauty of the moment – like the sun breaking through a grey sky – changes everything.

“Sow in tears, reap with shouts of joy”.  
Joy is not the absence of pain and struggle, and laughter does not exclude tears.  
It is the realization that God is still God.

We say it with the Psalmist… “The Lord has done great things…”

We live with a sense of God’s abundant goodness, not our unmet needs. 

We live with  a sense of God’s life, even eternal life, and not in our sure death.

Pilgrims are sojourners…ours is a journey that is not easy, or always kind…but ours is a journey that is sure of this – God is for us and that makes all of the difference in the world.


Peace

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