Mystery

It is Your glory, Jesus, to conceal things in mystery.  You have hidden Your wisdom in the stars, in the earth under our feet, even in our very DNA.  You have also hidden much of Your heart in stories — in the parables you told, in history as it unfolds, even in our life stories.  I confess that I prefer to be fascinated — to know — without having to expend the effort of searching out mysteries.  Yet You love the dance of hiding and discovering.  You love dropping a hint here, a glimmer of glory there, so that I would keep searching, keep asking, keep exerting effort until… another hidden mystery is unveiled.  With every hidden truth, You beckon me into this love dance with You.   It is Your glory to shroud things in mystery, and it is my kingly glory to search them out.

My prayer is that I would step into this glorious dance with You, where I unwrap treasure after treasure of beautifully hidden mysteries.  Let the dance begin in this lifetime and let it continue for all eternity.  Amen.

Joy

Jesus, You are the happiest, most joyful person alive.  I’m amazed that You can be so joyful in a world filled with such suffering.  Your joy is whole, not muted by coping mechanisms to pain.  Your joy is radiant; I see it in sunshine, laughing children, playful puppies, spring bursting with new colors and every genuine smile.  Your joy is resilient. Who else could endure the agony of scourging, crucifixion, hanging naked and bleeding for all to mock and scorn without collapsing inward? In Your agony, sweetness came out — forgiveness, entrusting Your beloved mother to the care of Your beloved John.

Your charge to us to always be joyful does not come from a heart untouched by suffering.  You enter into our sorrows, take on our deepest pains, and from that place call us to joy.  Why joy? Because somehow every single mess will be redeemed.  Why joy? Because everything is an expression of love, a gift from Your loving hand.  Why joy? Because the trials are temporary and the glory is eternal.

So I choose to be joyful today.  I choose to trust that every single thing in my life comes from loving hands.  I choose to thank You for the simple pleasures of my life, not to take for granted the wonderful ordinary.  Most of all, I choose to lift my face, hands and heart to heaven and worship You in joy, even when…especially when darkness and pain surrounds me.  Let joy be my constant as it is Yours. Amen.

Song

You are my song, Jesus. The fact that You spoke song into existence fascinates me.  And in the darkest night, it’s song that sustains me.  It’s Your song that infuses strength into my weary soul and spirit.  I feel heaven open and light break out, fresh hope for tomorrow.   The darker the night, the brighter the song.

My prayer is that You would open my ears to hear the song that You sing over me, Father.  I want to hear the song that’s all around me.  I want to hear not just with my ears, but with my heart and spirit.  And I want to sing.  I want to sing tenderly and passionately my love to You. I want to sing boldly that the mountains in my life will move.  I want to sing happily that You’ve got everything under control.  I want to sing and sing and sing no matter what comes my way.  Amen.