But according to the Bible, at the end of our incessant pursuit of knowledge lies a Person, not an ideology or impersonal reality. God is not only the beginner of all that is; God has also revealed Himself in the earthliest of terms. Jesus was born in circumstances accessible to the lowliest of the shepherds as well as to the most majestic of kings. He spoke to large crowds in public places and was crucified outside the city walls, thereby silencing forever the voices of self-appointed guardians of alleged esoteric knowledge. In biblical terms, no pursuit of knowledge is ever complete without the discovery of him who is the truth; to know him is to know not only ultimate reality but also ourselves. --J.M. Njoroge, Slice of Infinity
THE PROMISE OF JOY
On the evening before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, "You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, & your hearts will rejoice, & no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). He knew He was going to die, & He knew this would bring them sorrow. They would mourn & weep. The world would appear as dark as a new moon sky, & the night of their grief would seem endless.
Jesus speak to us as well. He doesn't promise us the "easy joy" we want--a life free of suffering, a life without heartache. No, Jesus says, "You have sorrow now." Loved ones die. Long-held dreams perish. Some days it seems disappointment & despair have stepped through the doors & taken up permanent residence in the living room of our hearts.
But Jesus also promises us this: "Your hearts will rejoice." We may not be able to go to the corner store to buy a box of joy when a loved one moves away or we get laid off from work, but the good news is that we don't have to go looking for joy. As believers in Christ, we already have access to more "easy joy" than we could ever need or want. We receive it--freely--as a gift from the Holy Spirit. In Galatians, the apostle Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23). If we are in Christ, we have the Spirit--and we have joy. "Easy Joy," by Sharla Fritz, The Lutheran Witness, Aug. 2019
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