Well, just managed to get this posted today - if you count doing it before going to bed at 1.10am. Just got back to Cardiff after a lovely but busy weekend in London.
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy. (Philippians 1:4 NIrV)
Living thankfully is one thing but when Paul is praying for the Philippian church he is also full of joy. In other words, he is doesn't just think they're doing a good job, he also enjoys being with them and it gives him huge joy and satisfaction when he thinks and prays for them. Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones described the letter to the Philippians as the "letter of joy" and does read like Paul enjoyed the church in Philippi and loved being with them and thinking about them. I'll find out some of the reasons for this as we go forward but for the moment I'm focussing on this joy.
At the moment, when I think of 'joy', I'm thinking of Nathan (my 4 year old), and the adventure he has just begun in learning to play the drums. He has been fascinated by ... no - obsessed by drums since he was really tiny and is always focussed on the drum players at church on Sundays, so once he started school we thought we'd see if the local music school would teach him properly. They agreed to give him a try and you would not imagine his face when we said he was having a drum lesson. For his first two lessons (he's only had two so far) he has sat transfixed by the lesson, listen to everything the teacher has said and done everything asked of him and, I understand, he is very good. He is so completely beside himself with joy at this experience that he often cannot hold it in and looks like he is about to burst. As I was thinking of this the description, "life doesn't get better than this" came to my mind and I thought that it was a good description of joy. Sometimes we have joy in the whole of our life, sometimes only in a part but when we have joy there is a sense that life doesn't get better than this!
I need to think of more things in prayer that are joy-filled and joyous, rather than simply presenting God with my shopping list. Perhaps it will help me feel more joyous in my own life.
Lord, when I think of you, fill my heart with joy afresh. When I think of those around me, let my thoughts of them be filled with joy as well as thankfulness. I thank you that in your presence there is fullness of joy. Let me live joy deep in my heart and up on the surface too. Amen.
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