J O Y

As I look at the Almond Joy mini candy bar I handed out, I think of an acronym using the letters J…. O…. Y.  “Jesus, Our Yahweh.” Since Yahweh, a noun, is a form of the Hebrew name of God, the acronym means: “Jesus, our God.” As Christian believers, we claim this to be true.

In our family, we are eagerly anticipating the safe, healthy birth of two grandchildren in the next year. The anticipation reminds me of Jesus’ mother, Mary, and a bit of what she may have been feeling before the birth of her son.  No doubt she was excited, but also apprehensive and unsure about how God was using her in his holy plan.

I was reminded these last two weeks of how much work it is to care for a helpless little one.  In my case, it’s been our little dog who needed unexpected spinal surgery.  He’s needed many resources: our time, attention, medicines, personal care, love, and reassurance since the surgery.  For the first week, it included care in the middle of the night, similar to a baby. Fortunately, he’s gotten on his feet though he still has weeks ahead for further healing.

A baby is a wonderful, wonderful miracle, but also needs lots of support.  They can bring us much joy, but it’s not purely joy. It’s mixed with work and worry.

Mary and Baby Jesus

Joy is usually mixed with other emotions. It is rarely just joy.  Even the joy of Christmas is often mingled with other less welcome emotions. I’ve certainly had years marred by illness, stress related to school, jobs, family issues, finances, and various kinds of losses. All take a toll on our joy at Christmas and at other times throughout the year, and yet, I am encouraged by what the Bible says about joy:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 98:4 NIV

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1: 2-3  ESV

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:2 NIV

And my favorite, especially during the Christmas season:

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10 KJV

These verses say to me, and I hope to you, that joy is not only possible when times are good and things are going our way, but even when we have seasons of sadness, of turmoil, of feeling like we are in the wilderness.  As believers, we have these verses to hold onto, to claim, to stand on as reminders. Reminders that we have a God who loves us and sends us joy in the form of his son, Jesus, who was born to bring us the way to salvation and forever-and-ever, eternal joy.

The Almond Joy candy bar on your seat is a reminder of God’s desire for us to experience the eternal joy he offers us.  My prayer for you is that you are reminded, during this season, of God’s constant love and that you feel much joy as a precious child of God.

Camille Wheeler, Core Leader

Originally presented to the CBS Leadership 12-14-16

My Necklace of Pearls

After years of challenges and moments of despair, I felt like a failure. I asked God if I would ever get to the place where I could really be used by Him again. I wondered because the sense of failure seemed to clothe me securely. The Lord responded with a picture of a beautiful pearl necklace in my mind’s eye and spoke gently to my spirit:

      “The circumstances you have gone through trouble you. Some circumstances were caused by your stubbornness and others were demonic assignments. Nevertheless, I have been with you through them all. And now, I need you to grasp each of those lessons in a fresh way.

      I designed a special necklace just for you. The pearls represent each situation you overcame by My guidance and power. Just like the oyster suffers pain in growth, you have suffered pain in growth. The oyster covers his pain and it becomes something priceless. You have learned to cover your pain and discovered something priceless as well: My wisdom and glory.

Now I desire to line up those experiences, your pearls, with a knot of grace between each one so they will never pour back into your lap again. As you learn to wear this necklace humbly, I will use you greatly. When I direct you, share one of your treasured pearls to bring Me glory. This necklace, my child, is the key to your joy-filled witness in the days to come.”

      “Thank you Lord. Your words calm my heart,” I said. But then I asked another question, "How will I ever get rid of this guilt and shame?

       "When you are ready to put up your shield of faith to quench all the enemy's thought-filled reminders and let go of your obsession with self-condemnation, then you can and will move on. Afterwards, I will be able to grace-fully knot and secure all those pearls together and secure them around your neck with the blood of Jesus.”

      I have wasted so much time meditating on ‘what ifs’ and ‘I should haves’. Life should have been so different. (The shoulds kept the shame alive.) Yet, I finally realized even if I had made wiser decisions then, I would have eventually made an error in judgment.

      Wisdom training is a must in God’s kingdom. I can’t avoid trouble forever. God designed my life to be filled with instructional moments from a variety of sources. What I need to remember at all times is this: God’s grace is sufficient.

      Having this special pearl necklace reminds me all is not lost. God intends to use everything I do, right or wrong, for His glory. When I get off track, God still marks the journey as valuable and that brings me joy.

      How about your pearls that came at a great price? Will you allow God to line them up and show you off? God is so proud of you. You may feel disqualified but don’t despair! God plans to use all those 'unseemly parts' to minister grace and hope to many. Go ahead, quench the enemy’s thoughts of failure, pick a pearl and courageously share how God changed your life.
 

Mary Jane Downs

CBS Children’s Leader
Rutherfordton Day Class