Is it time yet?

How about now…?

I recall as a child whining these words of anticipation to my mother. Of course, many years later, I’m not sure how she could put up with it. To the somewhat older me this would have been annoying.

It still amazes me that although she most likely knew the outcome of whatever I was impatiently waiting for, because she “obviously didn’t understand the severity of the problem”, she always seemed to rejoice with me as though it were the first time it had ever happened.

With her being born in the middle of a 14-child family and me not being her first born, I’m pretty sure there wasn’t much that I experienced in those early years that hadn’t happened before.

Fast-forward a few decades and we generally find ours going through same type of experiences That we’ve seen other generations go through, yet somehow, we think this time is so different and the “old people” can’t possibly understand.

They have literally shouted from the mountain tops that there is only one simple change that will change everything.

So, what is it?

It’s Joy.

“Well, that can’t be ALL? How will things really change in my life? Come on.”

What they weren’t saying, was that this change would suddenly shift and expand the mind of that wayward teenager in your life, or even those of fellow students, coworkers, or management. What they were trying to get us to see, is that while our daily happiness may shift with the winds, our real JOY should be complete in the promise of God’s love.

To prove the point, He went to the level of reducing to our level (human form) to tell us to our faces that He has already overcome this world (John 16:33). In our heart of hearts, not our emotions, we can know that even our suffering and troubles prepares ever so slightly to perfect our joy.

Here is my simple prayer for all of us:

God,

Teach us to accept our suffering with love. Let us return to You just as rivers return to oceans. Remind us to give thanks to you daily, even before we open our eyes to take on the challenges of this world. Until Your return, keep us watchful and in prayer for that peace that is beyond the understanding of this world. This I ask in Jesus’ name.

AMEN.