Have you been worried lately about the state of our country? Are you storing rice and beans, or whatever, along with water. Not a bad idea, according to some prophesies that are floating around. "End times," we hear. Surely we're in the end of days and Jesus can't be far from bursting through the clouds. But what if He's not? What if we're not really "outta here" real soon?
This little blog is really about joy, but first I have to say a few things. Jesus said, "Occupy till I come." That means be involved in the things of life. Other generations have expected it was the end days, but we're still here. It sure must have looked like Hitler was the anti-Christ and it was all over, but he's gone and we're still here.
So how shall we deal with all that is happening? For one thing, I get concerned for our young people (and maybe some older people)who are being told perhaps they have no future here on earth to be concerned about because we're in the "end times." So what is there to aspire toward or even care about? What vision and tools will they have to live out productive and happy lives if they aren't equipped now to live such lives? What kind of parents will they be to inspire their own children? If you don't aspire, you can't inspire. Without aspiration you don't learn perseverance, and it's perseverance which results in proven character and that leads to hope. How depressed and "dropped out" might some be without hope for a bright future?
But then there are also those of us who are excited about Jesus coming back, whenever it happens. There are those of us who share His heart for the hearts of people who find themselves lost without Him. Those who are motivated to tell others there's a great life to be lived in God. Now that alone will straighten out a good many things in our lives. If the Holy Spirit can really get hold of us, and we really surrender our lives to His Lordship, then He can change us and mold us into the image of Jesus, which means we can be people who change the world. We will be people of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. Lord knows we could use more of that in the world today, can't we?
So how do we work this out in our day-to-day living? I am privileged to have a large meadow on our “village” property. Lizzie (my doggie) and I walk there in the morning, often still wet with dew. Amid the waving grasses and occasional wild flowers feed flocks of herons and Egrets. The pond a few doors down from my house is the habitat of a number of Moskovie and Mallard ducks, including our second brood of new baby duckies this summer, each time eleven of them. I love the smells and the sounds of summer. I can pretend the world is safe and normal and at peace for a few minutes each morning. And I can be grateful to God for eyes to see all this, and ears to hear and legs to walk, and for Lizzie to share it with me. I wholly recommend you get out in nature. It gives you a much wider perspective on what life is comprised of outside of yourself. Get near some animals. Go to the zoo, which is where I took this photo of the flamingos. (You can tell I like the Zoo. See my Zoo article below.)
With so much possibly looming on the horizon in our nation and in the world, besides praying, I’ve set myself to saying, “Today is good. Today is safe. Right now I can give my thanksgiving to God for all I have taken for granted till quite recently, and be as much of a blessing to others as I can, today." I became aware recently that I had been dialing down my expectations of good, trying to prepare myself for living with less. But then I realized the less was resulting in less joy when the less was only about 'stuff.' But my joy is eternal. It comes from the Lord. Nothing changed in the Kingdom of God. I can live from there even if I live in this world. We're to be 'in' the world, but not 'of' it, if we belong to Jesus, right?
So I asked God, "How shall I deal with what's going on today, Lord?" The answer: "Be as much of a blessing as you can wherever you are." Not the answer I expected. So I started "being a blessing." By that I mean I greeted people warmly like I liked them and found I did, even new people. And they responded in kind and we got all joyful and "So very glad to meet you" together. I started really listening to people and looking them in the eyes like I care, which I was starting to more than before. It didn't take much. Just letting Jesus love people through me then made me feel loved. When I found myself in a conversation about how dire things could get, I gently reminded them that God is still as good as ever and His promises haven't changed because our economy has. The Kingdom of God does not suffer lack.
I've started asking the Lord to teach us how to have our needs met by Him the same way Israel did for 40 years on the desert when food (manna) was delivered daily by angels and not even a sandal wore out. Perhaps if our health care system breaks down we might just have to rely on God for healing the way the first century believers in Jesus did. Maybe then we'd find He would give us the same power He gave them, if we put our trust in Him as they did, and not in a whole lot of other options.
Being a believer in Jesus is about believing Him, right? I’m finding that’s bringing me more joy than any kind of worrying could possibly. And as for being a blessing, well, you do reap what you sow. If you're depressed or are feeling unloved, go out and love somebody else. Be a blessing today. Spread around some of God's goodness and love. He is, after all, love! Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but today there are new baby duckies -- a sign that life will go on -- bobbing around in the edges of the pond where it's still shallow. Why not step out in your own shallow waters at first and bring some new life to someone who could just use a hug or a smile from Jesus today. You might find the secret to the Lord's joy: Even with what He was facing in His own "end times" here on earth, He was a blessing to everyone who would receive His blessings.
If we are the Lord's, then we will feel His joy as we let Him love people through us. And despite what we might go through, we are headed for the eternal joy of heaven just as He was. It was for the joy set before Him that He endured the cross. That same joy is also promised to us, if we have made Jesus Lord of our lives, both eternal joy and the today kind of joy.
Have a "blessed" day.
