Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-063 (Devotional)

FOR JOY ‘For the joy it would bring Him’ (Hebrews 12:2) ========

by Olive Sharpe

This is the season of Lent, the time of preparation of spirit and body for the significance of Easter.

It is a time for uncluttering, a deeper concentration.

This may all sound very solemn, perhaps unrelated? Maybe Unobtainable?

Why bother?

Well, it has a great deal to do with whether we only wish to plod on.

On the other hand we may have joy in our lives.

Joy?

What has fasting, suffering got to do with joy?

That seems like the stuff of zealots and martyrs, not of just you and me.

As we read of Jesus and His submission to the Cross we find He did it ‘For the joy it would bring Him’ (Hebrews 12:2) and for the joy it would bring to us as we concentrate on Him, who is the beginning and end of our faith.

This is a ‘down-to-earth’ God, doing it the only way He could.

Becoming Man himself He understood our limitations and His invitation to follow Him, opens up the Joy of His presence, the Joy of life, a Joy which cannot be taken away.

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– This article by Just a Minute Editor, Olive Sharpe. http://www.justaminute.faithweb.com/meet_olive_sharpe.html

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