May the mumbling commence!
Christian joy is worshipful. Don’t allow this fact to detain worship to a Sunday morning worship service. Being worshipful goes far beyond what we do in corporate worship. Worshipful joy expands exponentially when we see the needs of other people, acknowledge that we have resources to supply that need, and give generously (without full thought to our own needs), sacrificially. Read from Philippians chapter four (NJB):
As for me, I am full of joy in the Lord, now that at last your consideration for me has blossomed again; though I recognize that you really did have consideration before, but had no opportunity to show it.
I do not say this because I have lacked anything; I have learnt to manage with whatever I have. I know how to live modestly, and I know how to live luxuriously too: in every way now I have mastered the secret of all conditions: full stomach and empty stomach, plenty and poverty. There is nothing I cannot do in the One who strengthens me.
All the same, it was good of you to share with me in my hardships. In the early days of the gospel, as you of Philippi well know, when I left Macedonia, no church other than yourselves made common account with me in the matter of expenditure and receipts. You were the only ones; and what is more, you have twice sent me what I needed in Thessalonica. It is not the gift that I value most; what I value is the interest that is mounting up in your account.
I have all that I need and more: I am fully provided, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the offering that you sent, a pleasing smell, the sacrifice which is acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will fulfill all your needs out of the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. And so glory be to God our Father, forever and ever. Amen. (Verses 10-19)
Want to be full of joy? Hold your possessions in this world loosely. Give freely. Learn to live contently with plenty or with poverty. Learn to survive much or little food.
How do we learn such things? We learn through the Spirit of Jesus who strengthens us to do things that seem impossible to our shallow minds. We learn such things by trusting God when it seems that we have gotten in over our heads. We learn such things by trusting our loving heavenly Father to supply all our needs through the riches of Christ Jesus.
Yes, there is great Christian joy in holding on loosely to possessions. As we hold on loosely and give sacrificially to people in obvious need (like those of Moore, Oklahoma), we will have a joy that is strong, complete, unwavering, life-giving and worshipful. And our joy will become worshipful to God in a concrete way when we give of ourselves sacrificially.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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