Narrow Gates
Today my grandmother lies in a hospital bed. She knows it is probably her last day on earth. She has a loving family, many years and a knowledge of where she is going.
To speak to someone in that situation is both difficult and surreal. To the end of her days, my grandmother has looked after people and looked for the best in them. Today she speaks of going home. She is not afraid. She is joyful. She has told us not to be sad for her. I am not unhappy for her, I am sad for us. She knows the joy of her salvation. She knows there is a real hope and a future beyond the grave. My grandmother knows that God is faithful, kind and big. For five or more pain-filled years she has lived with the verse "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. In the midst of growing old, losing her husband and feeling like a burden she stopped and remembered that God is God. He is in charge of everything and all is in His hands.
The Bible speaks of joy in reference to celebrations, dancing and breakthroughs. God loves to party. He love it when all is whole, when there is victory and answered prayer. But it is when we really need joy, when it seems impossible, that it is most welcome and most impressive.
Joy is a fruit of the spirit. Something that grows within us by the planting and watering of God's spirit. It is a curious thing. But nothing can match it. You can be happy on a sunny day, enjoy your favourite television show or laugh at a dog tumbling down a hill but that's not even close to joy. Paul says "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13. It is an entire living out of God that makes our lives joyful. It is not cynical, doubting or arrogant. Joy is a surrendering to God's authority in our lives, even when it is difficult. He is simply waiting for us to open our arms so He can envelop us in all He has to help us through our hectic lives.
Don't you love that God turns this world up-side-down? Humans love to be happy and comfortable. We love to be entertained, we love instant gratification. Like deep fried anything, this type of living soon leaves our stomach churning and the taste of old shoes in our mouths. God knows better than us. Surprise! God knows that the most worthwhile things take time and are often most difficult. It is sometimes about taking the higher road and not settling for less. When Jesus talks of salvation He says "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14. As salvation is difficult to grasp, so too a full life on earth is hard to realise. It's the same principle. Things of God can be harder to follow or maintain but ultimately they are of greater worth and give your peace, hope and joy in your life. And it's not rocket science. The thing that makes it difficult is our inability to trust God and surrender to Him. We need to remember that the joy God offers is real. The neon-coloured happiness the world offers is blinding and painful. God's joy is deep. It cuts through our circumstances to give us peace when we really need it.
What does joy look like? How do we get this deep, life changing joy? It always comes back to time with God; switching off our heads, our entertainment and having time to know our 'daddy' God. To sit and be still, to rant and rave, to pray with tears to read His word and know his heart. It all comes back to this. We are over-worked, over-entertained and over-it-all. There is no time to sit and receive joy. Two words; narrow gate.
God has created us to live in community together and in that perfect plan, we are to be joy-givers. Paul often talks about joy in his suffering, peace in any situation, oh how we've all loved to have that attitude. In 2 Corinthians 7:7, Paul talks about the effect of his fellow Christians on his life: "He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever." How simple it can be. A mere feeling of empathy for someone else can bring joy. If we were to work in community, in unity, how joyful we would be. It is great to celebrate with each other but it is even more vital to cry with each other, to carry each other when things get out of hand. What a privilege to be a joy-giver. To lighten the load, to bring hope and peace and a strong arm for someone. It's not too hard. It even brings us joy to be that for someone.
Joy is not of us or just for our enjoyment. It is something we use to bring glory to God. This Christmas let us sing about Joy. Let us know what we're singing about and remember "... that in all things God works for the good of those who love him." Romans 8:28.
