THUrsday, December 10, 2020
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of the prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and God will do this.
Devotion:
When I think of Joy, I think of Jack. Jack is my husband’s godson, the son of friends who are really more like family. Jack is now a moody teenager, but when my husband, Alex, and I got married, Jack was a much smaller child. We didn’t have a lot of children at our reception, but Jack made the most of every moment. He danced and sang and celebrated from the very beginning to the very last dance of the day. There’s an amazing photo of him from our wedding - his hands are up in the air, his mouth is in a huge wide open grin, his eyes are smiling and twinkling, and sweat is just pouring down his face. When I think of joy, I think of this photo - this kiddo who felt the joy of our marriage celebration with every cell in his being, this kiddo who expressed that joy with abandon, this kiddo who gave himself fully to the experience of joy.
This week, as we light the candle of Joy, we do so in hopes that we will embrace joy in the same way that Jack embraced it at our wedding. May the joy of the Advent season overwhelm your entire being. May the joy of the Christ child inspire you to celebrate without agenda or doubt, without fear or complaint. And may the joy of God’s salvation erase the tears, fears, and negativity of the world. I look forward to celebrating God’s presence with JOY with each of you remotely this Sunday, December 13!
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of the prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and God will do this.
Devotion:
When I think of Joy, I think of Jack. Jack is my husband’s godson, the son of friends who are really more like family. Jack is now a moody teenager, but when my husband, Alex, and I got married, Jack was a much smaller child. We didn’t have a lot of children at our reception, but Jack made the most of every moment. He danced and sang and celebrated from the very beginning to the very last dance of the day. There’s an amazing photo of him from our wedding - his hands are up in the air, his mouth is in a huge wide open grin, his eyes are smiling and twinkling, and sweat is just pouring down his face. When I think of joy, I think of this photo - this kiddo who felt the joy of our marriage celebration with every cell in his being, this kiddo who expressed that joy with abandon, this kiddo who gave himself fully to the experience of joy.
This week, as we light the candle of Joy, we do so in hopes that we will embrace joy in the same way that Jack embraced it at our wedding. May the joy of the Advent season overwhelm your entire being. May the joy of the Christ child inspire you to celebrate without agenda or doubt, without fear or complaint. And may the joy of God’s salvation erase the tears, fears, and negativity of the world. I look forward to celebrating God’s presence with JOY with each of you remotely this Sunday, December 13!