NO ORDINARY JOY

Winnie has had a lot going on lately for her. She got a better job, which brought along a new social class and relationships, friends on a higher level of life which also meant better parties with expensive perfumes and wines!

She recently got herself a beautiful house, well furnished with exotic paintings and luxurious flower pots. Her driving lessons are well advanced in a few months she'll have her nice car, and the game is just beginning!

Everything seems so right. Finally, every "I" is being dotted and every "t" is being crossed and nothing could be better. Except that the emptiness in her inner man just increases by the day. She is more lonely and sometimes in the midst of those parties and loud music, she is all alone.

Even more scary is her new friend Jelani. Last weekend Winnie tried opening up about that shallowness and Jelani told her she was on drugs to overcome hers. She wasn't pushy but she pretended that drugs had sorted hers out. Winnie knows she was lying.

Above all this is the nagging memory of her mother's voice on her deathbed, "Winnie, I prayed for you all your life. You'll never find true happiness unless you find Christ."

Winnie has always excused her mum as an illiterate. All illiterates turn to God, she reasons. They are illogical,eak and powerless. And yet, her mum's naïve words pierce her inner thoughts and haunts her daily.

And now that she is rising in status and influence, the fear, the anxiety, the uncertain friends and the alcohol is bringing those nagging words very much alive. The drunkenness and the loud music has neither drown her mum's voice nor the loneliness.

Christianity was to her a childhood religion. Now she is a big metropolitan girl. She lives in a different world, a more realistic world. A world were reason, logic and status rule.

Acts 8:4-8

One of the biggest things that trailed the gospel is joy. Everywhere Jesus went, there was an electrying joy. Everywhere the gospel is preached, whether on the rock mountains, in rural arrears among peasant farmers, in the metropolisis among blue and white colar folks, joy trails the preaching of the gospel.

"4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city."

I have witnessed the world turn a hardened rebellious youth into tears then erupts such overflowing joy from within him.

I have witnessed a prostitute breakdown in tears and end our chat with shouts of 'amen'and 'hallelujahs' haven't received pardon and a new life from God.

I have also witnessed the son of a greatly referred  man find Christ and filled with such a glowing joy with the constant threat of assassination and murder.

I have seen a group of five boys having fun and talking all manner of garbage, but as soon as the accepted to listen to the gospel preached when home rejoicing and changing their lifestyles in less than a day. Later three of them become minister while the other two become honourable responsible men, all credits to Christ coming into their hearts.

When the Holy spirit came there was an extraordinary joy. Acts 2:46 "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." NIV

We also see that when Christians were persecuted, the carried extraordinary joy and went everywhere sharing Christ. Acts 5:40 "His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." NIV

What Brings Such Joy?

An encounter with God. When man meets God on a positive footing, there is an explosion of an inexplicable joy.

The forgiveness of sin is a great source of joy. When a man receives the forgiveness of sins and understands the value of God's great mercy, he cannot but be filled with joy.

The new life in Christ brings an amazing overflow of joy. If any be in Christ, he is a new creature old things are replace with new things. 2Corinthians 5:17

When God answers prayers, it brings joy to a believers heart. In fact, it is one reason God answers prayers. John 16:23 "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

The calling of God to man is a call to no ordinary joy.

God bless you.

David Pam McQuel