In last week’s message, I told you that for the previous week or two before visiting DC, I was having trouble feeling joy in my life. I had let myself get wrapped up in worldly affairs that can, and will, often disappoint us if we let them dominate our thoughts. Last week’s message was about God’s multiple responses to me leading to much joy I experienced on our 10-day trip to DC to visit family. God answered my prayers, as He always does, but He might take awhile or provide us a different answer than we were expecting. Then last Friday, I read my daily devotional for June 20 from Max Lucado in Grace for the Moment, titled A Heavenly Perspective. I thought it was a special message explaining my recent plight that was worthy of sharing with you, so am doing so today.
As always, Max begins with scripture:
Matthew 7:7 – Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.
Max then explains – Go back and report to John (the Baptist) what you hear and see: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk … and the good news is preached to the poor.” This was Jesus’ answer to John’s agonized query from the dungeon of doubt: “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
We don’t know how John received Jesus’ message, but we can imagine. I like to think of a slight smile coming over his lips as he heard what his Master said. For now he understood. It wasn’t that Jesus was silent; it was that John had been listening for the wrong answer. John had been listening for an answer to his earthly problems, while Jesus was busy resolving his heavenly ones. That’s worth remembering the next time you hear the silence of God.
I added the underline above because my issue was that I allowed myself to get more wrapped up in my perception of the earthly problems confronting me rather than continuing to focus on the available joy always available to me when I am properly focused!
I will also share with you that a friend of mine with whom I also shared my message last week replied to me that her Pastor had given a sermon last fall suggesting that members recognize at least 3 joyful experiences from their completed day, and even keep a dairy of their daily joys. My friend has started doing it, and it is now a regular part of her day. So I decided to do it as well, and am enjoying starting my evening prayers with acknowledgment of my joys from that day! I would recommend it to others as a way to regularly document your joy!
I want to add one more point to this message. In our church bulletin for June 8, 2025, Tina included a prayer from a woman named Joanna Fuchs titled Grant Me Peace, Lord. That was one of the Sunday’s we missed church due to our DC trip. It provides a similar message to Max’s message, from a more earthly perspective. I hope you enjoy it!
Lord, our troubles are so great, We don’t know what to do;
The price for our iniquity is finally coming due.
The world is crumbling all about; No safe place can be found.
Right is wrong, wrong is right; The change is quite profound.
Lord, we need your guiding light to lead us out of here;
We’ll focus on your Word, and prayer, to take away our fear.
Temptations of this dying world we’ll rule out and let go;
Give our burdens all to you, shed all worldly woe.
That’s how we’ll get through this, Lord, fixed on heaven above,
Assured of your protection, help, and everlasting love.
I wish all of you a most joyful week celebrating all of God’s goodness shown to each of us!