Yes, a Theme of Joy has emerged in the face of a tragedy. "What an oxymoron!" You may be thinking. "That isn't the word I would think of when pondering the death of someone I love so much." But, yes, it's true. Throughout the past few weeks, God has been repeatedly bringing this theme to mind.
Just the other night, I randomly opened my Bible to Psalms 98-100. As I read, the apparent theme of each psalms was... Joy! The next day, a teacher/friend from New Hope emailed Psalm 100 to me, as her class was beginning to do some work with that passage and she thought it would be encouraging for me.
Psalm 100
1" Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
The week before I left to stay home with mom, God brought this theme to mind in my classroom. That particular day, I asked my students to share different Bible verses and songs throughout the day that had to do with joy. I am blessed with a class that likes to participate. We were not short of songs and verses!
So how can a person have joy in a trial? If one's heart trusts in the Lord, there is hope and a future...a wonderfully, unfathomable future! Death is not the end, but a beginning. Trust me, I don't even begin to understand this, but I know it is true for my mom. And God does give joy in sorrow.
I am not trying to say that I never have a sad day or cry. Rather, knowing Jesus brings joy in the midst of sorrow. It helps us to keep our heads up and move on...towards hope.
Isaiah 61:3
"...and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor."
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor."
This, my friends, is a glimpse of Heaven!
We serve an amazing God. There is no one like The Lord Almighty.
ReplyDelete1 Chronicles 16:23-36. May God continue to uphold you and keep you; may the Lord cause His face to shine upon you and give you peace.
For the mountains shall depart
ReplyDeleteAnd the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
-Isaiah 54:10
Thanks you guys! The Word of God is what we cling to: what a comfort!
ReplyDelete