December 20, 2019

Happy Friday. Do you remember as a kid how long it seemed to take for Christmas to come? And now as an adult, it seems to come a little quicker every year! As a child, I remember it seemed like it was the greatest morning ever! And watching childrens’s faces still makes it a pretty great day. The definitely delayed gratification was (and is) always so worth it. 


Especially now, in this fast-food world we live in, when we don’t like to wait for anything delayed gratification is almost a foreign concept. The idea of saving to buy a car or for a big purchase. Waiting for something better. It’s hard for us, but if we could wrap our heads around even a bit of what awaits us in heaven, we would live with boundless joy—the ultimate delayed gratification! 


There are incredible realities in our everyday walk with Jesus in the here and now, but the joy of heaven to come can give us perspective and purpose when life gets tough. 


“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice...”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:12-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬


God is trustworthy and good, so we can hold onto these hopes and allow them to give us joy no matter our circumstances. We need joy especially when we’re in a time of grief or in waiting. That’s why understanding the promises of God and the heaven that awaits us is so important. We are told that living with the Holy Spirit naturally produces that joy, joy, joy within us. 


“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,..Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22, 25‬ ‭NIV‬‬


Hebrews 12:2 says that for the joy set before him, Christ endured the cross. We have that same joy set before us. If we can work out how to live with it in the front of our minds, we’ll be able to endure anything. 


Christmas is a great time to celebrate our joy and a reminder of the first coming of Jesus. It also reminds us that since He came once we can be sure He will come again. He have His word and His promise on that. 


Lord God of Joy, thank you for the wonderful promise of heaven. We praise you for the fulfilling of the prophesies of your first coming that give us the confidence in the fulfilling of the prophecy your second coming. Thank you for your grace and your mercy that provides the way for us even though we are not perfect, you love us still. We rejoice in you Lord and only on you do we fin our peace, hope, and joy. . Hallelujah for the Lamb. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam




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