JOY!!!

(During Lent, I will be following the photo prompt words from Rethink Church, but using them to create word pictures.                                                                        Discipline, discipline, discipline.)

Joy.

That deep sense of well-being and effervescence, it seems, that pervades our being and fills us and carries us in unexpected ways. There are a lot of joy-filled people in Scripture.

Sarah, who embarrassed herself a bit by laughing at the angel's promise-- but when that child Isaac was born, I imagine her heart was filled to overflowing.

Noah's family, upon realizing the waters were receding, finally-- whew! Relief and joy-- and a fresh start.

The psalmist, over and over again, realizing how great the LORD was whom he served-- and his awestruck joy fills so many pages of our holy book.

Peter, realizing it was the risen Christ preparing breakfast on the beach-- so overjoyed he splashed his way through the shallow waters, completely oblivious to any sense of decorum at all. That's joy!

But for all the joy-filled moments and stories in the Bible, in my opinion none tops the very first story.

You know-- the one where God looks around at all that God has created: the land and seas, the creatures, the sun, moon and stars. And surveying the beauty and bounty of Creation, God declares it all good.

And I believe, even today, through all the darkness and brokenness, still-- it is good. And it makes my heart sing with joy.

Weeping and mourning may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Where in your life have you found joy? Look again. . . .