Joy!

When I sit down to write this blog, I usually have some idea of the point I’d like to make or the direction I’d like to go. Today, I just think that I want to make some points about things that I’ve observed.

When I brought my daughter to college, we attended a local Southern Baptist church. It was the first time I’d walked into a SBC church since I lived in Oklahoma over 26 years ago. The changes in those years were not very dramatic. I think that overall the SBC has a much more passionate approach to worship and there is a strong sense of the duty and responsibility that each believer has to carry and share the gospel in every part of life. I think, too, that they can teach us something about our Savior.

By His own words, we know that Jesus had a passion to do the will of the Father and bring glory to God. But if you think about it, the way that He did it was a lot different than our northern churches do. No, He didn’t have a worship service with a worship team and praise music… or did He?? What do we know about those that gathered for the Sermon on the Mount? Was the crowd quiet, subdued and sour? I doubt it. I choose to imagine that there was singing and musical instruments and laughing. After all, it was a picnic! I think that our Lord belly-laughed with them! He told us to “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad…” How do you do that without a smile? When He told the disciples to let the children come to Him, I have to think that He smiled with them and laughed at the absurd things that kids say. Have you ever been around a small child that didn’t lighten your heart? Think of some of the illustrations He used. A camel through the eye of a needle? That had to have elicited a snicker or two! No, the Bible never says, “Jesus laughed”, but so many of His interactions with people were in joyous settings. Imagine the happiness and joy at the dinner that Lazarus attended after he walked out of the tomb at the command of our Lord! And can you imagine the wedding at Cana being a solemn and austere, stuffy and polite dinner? No, I choose to have a vision of our Lord with a huge smile! I am sure that the brightness of it will light all of Heaven the day that He comes to claim His bride! These images only serve to remind all of us that, yes, we sinners should have humility and a reverence for God, but it’s OK to smile and be joyous and to laugh. None of us were baptized in pickle juice! And no one wants to hear what we have to say if we act that way. So, Sisters and Brothers, SMILE! Embrace each other with love and caring and joy! You’re SAVED! You’ve been FORGIVEN! No one can take that away from you – EVER!

As Psalm 100 says, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is is God: it is he that that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Have a great day!