JOY

“…The Joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

  

  

Today I’m choosing joy! I opened Facebook this morning and read lyrics to the song, “Joy of the Lord” by Rend Collective. Since the group was new to me, I went to Youtube and listened to the whole song.  I’ll be listening to more of their music in the future.

I particularly love how this song dispels a commonly held mistaken idea that joy comes from our circumstances.  Consider the opening words, “Though the tears may fall my song will rise my song will rise to You. Though my heart may fail my song will rise, my song will rise to You. While there's breath in my lungs I will praise you Lord.” 

Praising God is a decision! And where does the strength to make such a decision come from?   The song’s refrain quotes from the words of Nehemiah to the people of Israel.

“The joy of the Lord is my strength. The joy of the Lord is my strength.  In the darkness I’ll dance.  In the shadows I’ll sing. The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

Then this afternoon I stopped at an estate sale and found this.

The tomb – a place of sadness and mourning, yet emerging from the tomb, the One who fills our hearts with JOY.

I have this spice tin in my kitchen.

 It's a reminder to put joy into everything we do.

Seeing it is a reminder of my dear friend, Joyce Baer, a missionary we served with in Africa. She lived joyfully and she helped others praise God in difficult times. After leaving Africa, she sold these little spice tins, each with a message.  I was privileged to acquire some.

And see that little girl on the tin?

I want to be her.

I want to exude joy, 

True joy, 

Joy that comes from the heart

Because of Jesus.  

Joyfully,

Ruth

Oh, and if you haven’t done it yet, check out “Joy of the Lord” by Rend Collective on YouTube.