well, mostly cringe....but in this case, laugh so hard my face hurt from smiling. dave barnes, brilliant musician, just did his debut stand-up comedy routine tonight in front of a room full of his friends and family, and my sides are going to be sore tomorrow. (www.davebarnes.com)
i seriously love to laugh. i forget sometimes how much i love to be silly...especially when things get so heavy. sometimes i forget that god, being a god of EVERYTHING....loooooves to laugh. if i'm created in his image...then isn't it funny to think about god loving to laugh....or sing....or be silly....or joke around. i've mostly known the serious, reverent, big guy in the sky who sits high on his throne and rules with fear and trembling.....but all that's beginning to change....
i've never had so much fun with god in my life. i've never run to him in EVERYTHING....in my silly times...in my goofy times....when i'm joking around by myself or laughing my head off. it's weird to think of god laughing...but i know he does. i think it's hilarious that people in church get so freaked out when people start to laugh in the presence of god. my bible says in his presence is 'fullness of JOY....' and i don't know about you, but when i get joyful....i can't help but laugh.
Psalm 16:11
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 21:6
Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
Acts 2:28
You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
so my middle name is joy....which literally means...'a FEELING of great joy or pleasure.'
god tells me that he WILL fill me with joy, or a FEELING of great joy or pleasure, in his presence. now i don't know about you, but i haven't met anyone who wouldn't want that. to constantly FEEL joy or great pleasure....to consistently be filled....
i'm learning....that if i'm walking in anything LESS than great joy...or love....or peace....patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control......then i'm walking OUTSIDE of the presence of god. if god tells me, he'll fill me with great joy in his presence...then when great joy is absense...i must be walking in something other than him.
wow.
isn't it amazing all he has for us? he doesn't WANT us to walk in pain. he doesn't WILL for us to walk in unrest....
his inheritance for us as his kids is so much more than we can ever ask or imagine........
off to bed, friends. and i'll talk more about THAT later tomorrow.....
nite nite. sleep tight...don't let the bed bugs bite....
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4 comments:
I have always enjoyed reading your blog Christa... You allow me to reflect on what I am reading as well as learning what your God is all about! I look foward in the coming days to read your thoughts and reflections!... You are amazing! Love ya... my beatiful friend.
Cindy
That IS awesome...it seems like everytime I try to apply it I can't connect God and being laughy happy...I don't know why! I love being silly, but it never seems like there's a point to it...Like life is better when you're laughing, but then you have to get all serious...hmm. I don't know.
That's an awesome thought!!! And it's a command from God to be joyful, which is amazing. I jsut read this in Nehemiah 8:10 - Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. :)
~Karen~
I think that God laughs. In the bible, Jesus truly has a sense of humour - when he says of loud prayers that "they have their own reward," he exhibits considerable wit.
However, we do not always walk in joy - and when we walk in sorrow, we are not necessarily walking without God. For there is sorrow, and God has walked in the very footsteps of it on the Via Dolorosa. But even in sadness, there is always love.
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