Philippians 4:4 … Re-JOY-cing in the Lord (09/27/15)
It’s not that often that Jesus and Paul fully agree on anything within the texts of the Bible, and yet every now and then it happens … Yes, half of these harmonies appear to be Paul accidentally stumbling upon the Divine Truth espoused by JC … And yet Paul was nothing if not persistent, so it really can’t be a great surprise to anyone that he — just like the rest of us “normal folk” bumbling our way through life — occasionally reached out into the darkness of his ignorances & insecurities and touched the Greatness that was The Way of Christ; caressed the sheer wonderment that is Jesus’ Way of selfless LOVE.
And Philippians 4:4 seems to be one of those glorious “accidents” — the one where Paul stumbles onto the Purpose of Joy. OK, Paul put the focus of Joy on worshiping God via praise & prayer as opposed to deeds of selfless Kindness & humble self-sacrifice, and Paul didn’t understand that “the Lord” — a.k.a. God — was in reality perfect LOVE numinously incarnate within all of us (1 John 4), and yet I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt nonetheless … wink emoticon
Either way, Joy has now been re-outed as one of the most powerful ways for you to get “back to God” … and I humbly encourage (read: in-Courage) you all to go forth today and revel accordingly!
Amen … Let it be so.
“Rejoice in the Lord, always. I say it again: Rejoice!” ~ Philippians 4:4
“I have said all these things to you so that my Joy might be in you, and that your Joy may become complete.” ~ Jesus Christ (John 15:11)
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