Finding Joy

With all the negative news and talk about guns, I thought it was important to think about the Joy in our lives!

 "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,
the sea and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.
Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy"
(Exodus 20:11). 

            In our present society obligations are building and if you are paying attention you can feel the stress that comes along with it; at work, home and in the kids schools. Often I talk about being the best you can be and refer to the YMCA logo, Spirit, Mind and Body. That is tough when we are busy.

            We need rest physically and mentally. There is rhythm to the seventh day of rest that is a good balance of work and rest. Many people put themselves out trying their own plan. God is saying that once a week we need to take a break. He is saying there is more to life than work. He is also urging us to follow his pattern. Spiritually we need this time to refocus our lives. God wants us to spend one day looking to him and thanking him for being liberated. Listen to what the Lord said to Isaiah:  

    "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
... then you will find your joy in the Lord."

            My retirement part time career is in retail and on Sunday mornings the store opens when the church bells are ringing. Oh that’s the day the sales start too! There are always 20 to 50 people lined up at the door not listening to the church bells! Many of them are Sunday regulars. Yes, I am there every other Sunday after our chapel communion at Spirit of Hope, my church.  A retail store on Sunday morning is truly an un-godly place.

            We need to keep our whole selves in order to be good people; the parents our children need, the employee our companies want and to be the best friend or spouse we can be. That means in SPIRIT, MIND and BODY. When we do that we will find joy in our lives. That is really our life long goal.

Thought for Today:  Take some time to meditate and pray for rest and peace in our lives. Take some time to recharge your spiritual batteries. Take some time to find the Joy.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we pray for people who just can't take time to rest and meditate. May they somehow grow to find joy in the Lord.

Amen