Wednesday, December 12, 2018 (for Advent Three)

“So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” (John 16:22)

 We have been watching a lot of what I call sappy, romantic, Christmas TV movies this year. I have even suggested doing so some of the time. It shows how desperate I am – OK, I will confess that I actually have enjoyed one or two, but don’t tell anyone!

The plot for almost each and every movie is pretty much the same – a pretty, unsettled woman who is usually in an unrewarding career in the big city, as well as in an unhappy and unsatisfactory relationship with a nice but work-driven man goes home for Christmas, (usually  a warm and fuzzy, friendly small-town, USA) to think things out, but gets caught up in some local, altruistic Christmas cause and in so doing meets another man whom at first she doesn’t like but who is always charming, understanding and compassionate. (Well, I didn’t say these movies were realistic, did I?) There is some crisis of misunderstanding between them but by the end of the movie they are madly in love, Christmas is saved and we are to presume they will live joyfully ever after.

Wouldn’t it be lovely if our lives could be a Christmas TV movie? We would all live happily ever after! With all hearts’ desires. With love in the air! With peace on earth and goodwill to everybody! Joy to the world, indeed

Although there is a co-relation between pleasure, happiness and joy. All three can be good but the concept of biblical joy stands out above the rest, I think.

When our dog, Kramer, ate the huge chunk of Christmas cake which he had stolen off the kitchen counter, I’m sure that he took momentary pleasure out of the feast. But he could have had a severe stomach ache and the pleasure was only temporary. He’ll be looking for what he can scarf next.

Susan and I were very happy last week-end when we took William and Henry to see the movie “The Grinch”. It was 3-year-old Henry’s first movie and it was fun, pleasurable and satisfying. But the experience quickly becomes a pleasant and happy memory and we move on, while treasuring it in our hearts.

Joy is a spiritual, emotional, transformative, redemptive experience which lasts throughout one’s whole life, no matter what happens or how it happens or when it happens. You can’t take it away because it has been absorbed into our spiritual DNA. It colours how we see the world and interact with it. For example, when the women found the empty tomb of Jesus they were filled with great joy and the resurrection experience changed their lives forever.

Joy is one of God’s gifts to lift us out of the depths of our lives and throw us into God’s Grace and Love and enable us to hurry towards Bethlehem and see this thing that has been promised to us. “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” (Luke 2:20)

It is not something so much we can create but that which is given. We open up our minds, hearts and souls to allow this Joy to shape and condition our whole being. It comes to us as we put our trust, our hope, our faith, our being into God’s hands.

This Joy is about Good News. We are not forgotten nor abandoned by God. We are not alone to face our sorrows and losses. We are not lost or surrendered to Evil in any form. We are not deemed to be worthless or insignificant. Note the parable in which the angels themselves rejoice every time when God rescues one of his children, every son of Adam, every daughter of Eve.

This Joy gives us confidence to meet the predators in our lives, to resist the temptations and desires that do not satisfy or complete us. This Joy fills in the gaps with the creative laughter of the Spirit who stands with us in the hard times so that we are never overcome or overwhelmed. This Joy brazenly promises New Life even when faced with death.

 “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Dale