Looking and practicing

                             A little food for weekend thought--

       "Joy takes practice.  Study joy in the Psalms. Psalmists didn't even know the details of Jesus' love, but with their glimpses of God's love, they had joy and gladness.  If you are willing to look for joy, the psalmist can lead you to it.  The goodness of God is shot through creation and the church, so joy is always possible...

...When you can't see it, return to the cross and appreciate the beauty of what Jesus did.  Appreciate the beauty of His sacrifice--His willingness to become like us and give up everything.  Appreciate the beauty of His love.  Just behold it. Admire it...

       ...God's splendor ascends over the sorrow of life.  Joy is possible.  Choose to become an expert in it.  After all, joy is not something evanescent.  What you will taste is 'everlasting joy' (Isa.35:10).  It is here to stay, and the day is coming when those who know Jesus will be known by their joy.  Believe it or not, you are becoming a joyous person.  You will be a joyous person. Some say joy is the serious business of heaven.  But don't think that this is just for the sweet by-and-by.  The kingdom of heaven began with power when Jesus came, so you can get into the family business even now."  (Edward. T. Welch)
       Yes, Lord, yes.  Teach us to daily "practice" joy.  Joy isn't an emotion or a feeling as a result of happy, happy, happy circumstances.  No, far from it.  Joy emanates from the very heart of God.  And Hebrews tells us that Jesus is "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature..." (Heb.1:3)  When we behold the Savior, we see the exact reflection of Almighty God.
       If we want to know and experience the indefatigable joy of God, we need to look at His Son.  And the more we gaze at Jesus, the more He saturates us with His joy, peace, power, and hope.  It's not something we drum up...it's what we receive and absorb by being in Christ's presence.
       "...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb.12:2)
        Look to Jesus for joy.  Look to His love.  Look to His forgiveness.  Look to His grace. Look to His perfection.  Look to His humility, though He is God Almighty.  Look to His power.  Look to His majesty.
       Look to His cross.  Linger in your looking...and thereby be transformed increasingly into a person of joy.  
       Oh this day, might we look to Jesus and practice joy.  To God be the glory.