I went to see my Doctor
today. I am at that age, where they simply make appointments, when there is
nothing wrong. Well,…..That is not
exactly true, because I am also at the age now, where there is always something
wrong. We just don’t talk about the wrongs, because I really don’t care for
their solutions. Physical therapy is the medical cure all these days, and so
far my physical therapy experience has made matters worse.
Getting back to my story,
which has nothing to do with anything, that I have said so far, except the
fact, that I went to the Doctor today. It started raining while I was there,
and so far it is still raining, three hours later. I rode my bicycle there, and
I rode it home in the rain. I hadn’t got but a couple blocks from the office, when
I broke out in song. I was singing praise to the Father, who was washing me
clean with raindrops, and raising the water table in Florida.
I don’t sing well at all.
My keeping the notes, in the same key while singing, is really out of whack!! I
do better singing, while hiding behind, the louder voices around me, in the
church. Today I was left in solo mode, and folks turned to look at me, as I
rode past them. I didn’t care, because I was praising my Lord and Savior. Was I losing my mind? Was there something mentally wrong with
me? Maybe I shouldn’t have gone there,
because my mentality is always suspect!!
I really think this
falls under the category of the Joy of the Lord. Joy is the second named fruit
of the Spirit, and it is right behind love. Galatians
5:22-23 But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law.
Just what is joy,
and what ranks it at number two, as far as the Fruit of the Spirit is
concerned? Once again, I will go to the
Webster’s Dictionary of 1828 to get a definition of the word joy.
“Joy
is a delight of the mind, from the consideration of the present or assured
approaching possession of a good.”
In other words, the
act of having joy is not conditional, on present situations. Joy comes upon us
as Christians, at different times, and in different levels of strengths. We cannot control the length, or the
intensity, because we cannot control the Spirit. Everybody still with me on this? However, I do dare to say that it can be
stirred up by study, meditation, or praise to the One, who is the Author, of
the joy.
I guess by now you
realize, that I simply don’t see the same things, at all times as “normal” folks.
I really don’t think as Christians, or children of God, if we are doing the
right thing will ever qualify, for the normal exemption on anything. We simply
have too much that sets us apart, from the un-believing crowd, that we live
among. I personally decided a couple years back that I would rather be happy,
than ever try to fit into, that round hole syndrome again.
Ok. Getting back to what rank joy in second
place behind love is simple, if you will take the time to meditate on it. let’s
compare a couple verses of scripture together, and let it roll around in our
Spirits. First off, let’s take Galatians 5:22-23, and read what the fruit of
the Spirit is, and then let’s introduce another scripture in the mix.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher
of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
I believe that this
might very well be the same idea, except worded differently. The first thing,
which we will find in a comparative sense, is the fact, that Jesus is the first
fruit, of the Spirit. (1st John 4:16, God is love.) The second part
is proof, that joy is not acquainted with circumstances at the time. I know
that the cross was not the joy that was set before Jesus, for several different
reasons. The fact that this verse says, that He endured the cross, is our first
clue. This can be followed by the prayer that He prayed in the garden of
Gethsemane, and the sweating of great drops of blood.
The joy that was
set before Him was pleasing the Father in redeeming His lost children back to
Him. If He had not of come to the earth, being borne of a virgin, and lived a
sin free life, He would not have qualified for the cross. However, Jesus meets
all the qualifications, to shed His blood, and give His life, for our sins. On
the third day, He rose out of the tomb having conquered death and Hell. Amen!!
I really wish that
the readers would take a little bit of time to compare these two scriptures,
which I gave to you. I know that they say different words, in each one of them,
but given a little time, they will fit transparently over each other. Ain’t God Awesome?
….Much Love
No comments:
Post a Comment