Joyful Kids!

Yesterday, Grandanny and I enjoyed one of our favorite things- we spent the day with the two precious grandchildren with whom God has so graciously blessed our lives. We love to hear them laugh and they laugh alot. At the restaurant, while awaiting our food, we were playing the game "Guess the animal." You have heard of that one, haven't you?  Someone thinks of an animal and gives one clue at first and the one who guesses wins. Simple enough, right? When it was Alicia's turn, we were up to two clues, this animal is gray and you might see it in the air. Landon's answer, in not his "inside voice"----" An ephlenant." (Yes, I see spellcheck but this is how he pronounced the huge mammal.)  Alicia said, "Landon, you are silly, you don't see elephants in the air."  "You might," he exclaimed, "if they had been jumping on a trampoline."  He has inherited his Daddy's quick wit, I believe.

 Oh, how we all laughed at that table when we pictured that idea of Dumbo on a trampoline. I take much pleasure in seeing and hearing those two kids laugh and enjoy life. This morning, we were instructed by our pastor from the Book, Philippians 4:4, being the text to "Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say rejoice." I believe, that just as we parents and grandparents relish those smiles and laughters from our children, our Heavenly Father takes much pleasure as we rejoice in Him.  He is our Source of joy! John MacArthur writes- "In the Lord' signifies the sphere in which the believer's joy exists- a sphere unrelated to the circumstances of life, but related to an unassailable, unchanging relationship to the Sovereign Lord."  Paul, from a prison cell, writes this short letter  to the church at Phillipi and he knows very well the Reason for his joy.  Pastor Scott so whet my appetite today that I came home and read the letter from start to finish and noted the times that the words "joy" and "rejoicing" are mentioned.  The world, it seems to me, has gone crazy but praise God, Christ is still being proclaimed. There were preachers and teachers all over the world today, some underground, who stood in pulpits and behind lecterns and boldly told listeners that there is no other Name by which they can be saved. In that, I rejoice!

We rejoice, with the Apostle, that there is a proclamation of the Gospel and there is a partnership of God's people for the same purpose. We are to be likeminded over the central issue and there is too little time left, I believe, to be quibbling over the non essentials. As a parent's heart is joyful when their children pull together, so is there an ache when they murmur and complain with each other. Paul rejoiced over the people being passionate about being poured-out for those growing in their faith.  "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth," John writes to us.  In this day in which we live, Saint, our circumstances won't always bring joy. Right now, they may be dire and changing minute by minute. The reason that we don't despair but rejoice in the Lord is that He never changes! His promises are true and one that Paul gives us in chapter 3:20 brings tremendous joy to my heart every day." For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself."

There are so many reasons this undeserving writer has to rejoice today but if nothing else, we can rejoice today that He promised that if He went away and He did, then He would come back for us and He will. All of His promises are true and we can rejoice in the Lord, even when our hearts are heavy and our tears roll down our faces. Circumstances may change- our God will not! Priase His Name!

Desiring that my Father sees a joyful child.   

- Deborah