Joy is a response; joy is a choice.
Joy can be a surprise. There are unexpected moments in life when joy is instant or so deep it is hard to put into words. Holding your newborn baby is one of them. The miracle of it all is indescribable.
There are other times, when joy arrives by invitation...by choice. When life gets hard, we can choose joy. When a situation feels hard and unrelentless, we can still choose joy.
I spent some time praying on today's scripture.
Lent Day 18 Scripture: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field." -Matthew 13:44 (NLT)
Once he found the treasure, it was his "one thing." He would do anything to obtain it. His other belongings became meaningless. He sold everything to obtain the one thing that was most precious. He held nothing back with no regrets. He understood the cost, but it was worth the price. He came face to face with the God who clearly commands, "You shall have no other gods before me." None... just One.
The man did not miss the burden of the things he gave up for the one perfect prize. He had discovered one that was better than the rest.
The parable attempts to explain the reciprocal and paradoxical truth that giving up everything unlocks abundant life in Christ. It is humbling to realize that our wandering, wayward souls are the very thing that the God of the universe deemed worthy of His greatest sacrifice. Enough so that He took on human skin for the rescue mission and the sin sacrifice.
How can we not be joyful?
Today, I am grateful for the joy response.
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