The Joy Challenge: Wednesday 19th March 2014

In sickness and in health. Not simply a marriage vow commitment but a covenantal one in respect to our relationship to Christ. Today I am sick. It's fairly annoying. I hate being sick. It makes me realise lots of horrible things about myself: that I think I'm pretty important and feel guilty for not being able to be places lest things fall apart when I'm not there, that I overload myself with too many things to do instead of trusting Jesus, that much of my sense of identity is underpinned by being a doer and needing to be active, needing to be needed. But we, beloved, are not defined by what we do; we are defined by who we are: children of God, daughters and sons of the King, lovers of the Almighty, those whose lives are hidden in Christ. "What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28-29.) A much harder thing altogether perhaps. Not about do do doing but be be believing. Am I believing, trusting, leaning, resting? After all, at heaven's pearly gates, nothing we have done will be our means of admittance; we will fall to our knees with nothing to say but that we believed. He is the one who has done it. Not us. That is pretty sure grounds for rejoicing. 

The Joy Challenge: Tuesday 18th March 2014

Thank the Lord for the little. Like when your keys fall out of your back pocket and narrowly miss the toilet; when the cycle ride to work is frustratingly windy but it isn't raining; when you wake up 5 minutes before your alarm and can lie in bed; when an old friend greets you on the stairs to the library and stops - really stops - to check how you're doing even though he's tired and busy and stressed; when there's no one yet in the library and you get to enjoy the peace and the smell of freshly vacuumed carpets; when your computer crashes and you think you've lost all your work and then it miraculously starts itself back up again. Praise be to the God of small things, of near-missed mercies that hide themselves in the most surprising spaces of each day. Earth is crammed with heaven. Don't miss it. 

The Joy Challenge: Monday 17th March 2014

In peace I will lie down and sleep for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8. On this Monday morning, let us rejoice in our waking, in eyes that open, bodies that move, hearts that beat, in the weak sunlight of morning that presses through curtains. Let our first thought not be the grumble of a new week, of work and the countdown till the weekend, but a welling up of joy in our being here, safe, secure, alive. Where many in the world rest sleeplessly in fear, hunger, persecution, uncertainty, let us be glad that us Brits have so very little to fear, so very much complacency in our own safety. Awake, my heart, my soul, my mind, my strength, and sing of his love and goodness today. His mercies are new this very morning as with ever other. 

The Joy Challenge: Sunday March 16th 2014

Today has been a slight struggle to be joyful at times. Life seems to conspire against a determination to rejoice. But I remember that this is a discipline of celebration not a do it when you feel like celebration. And so...praise God for sunshine. Seriously. It is good. Very good. For friends and fellowship, for Sam's chocolate pudding, for Lizzie's goat impersonation, for making a 3D human freeze frame of Pompeii mid-eruption with a bunch of teenagers, for Bethany getting to grips with the cross, for me getting to grips with the cross, for Jesus dying for me, for him becoming sin for me, for him beating death for me, for him taking my place so that I could become the righteousness of God. Come on, Soul, bless the Lord. Forget not his benefits. 

The Joy Challenge: Saturday 15th March 2014

The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) Sundays are normally fairly exhausting, so Saturday is Sabbath Day. Today has been a day of lie ins, of spring sunshine shining through spring-cleaned windows, of sitting on the bench outside our house, of working together, of laughter and silliness, of stopping and sleeping and forgetting what the time is - and then realising that it doesn't matter anyway. Oh for more days like these. And to think that our Father planned it thus, commanded it thus, pre-programmed us with a need for rest and told us that we should do it. And so, whatever day your sabbath is, whatever nook, cranny, minute, second of breathing space you remember that you have be still and know that He is God. He loves us when we're not doing anything. Hallelujah.  

The Joy Challenge: Friday 14th March 2014

 Christ is us - yes little old insignificant tired fading away us - is the hope of Glory. Colossians 1:27. This is today's mindblowingly joy-bringing truth. We know it and we know nothing of it. It's made it to our head but not to our heart - that Christ died not only to forgive us (although we rejoice in such glorious truth as that) but also so that he could live in us. Christ in us, tabernacling, making his home, living his life through us. We have everything we need (2 Peter 1:3) today to live a radically Christlike, Spirit led existence which transforms us and those around us. We are those who carry the light. Ephesians 5:8. And so, shine, you shiny happy people.

The Joy Challenge: Thursday 13th March 2014

Today's joy is inspired by worshipping with Lizzie and Elaine before cafe this morning. As we strummed and sang, I was struck by the words 'Praise is my warfare.' When we choose joy and thankfulness over self-centred mopping and ingratitude we are waging war against darkness and despair in our lives and the lives of others. That is incredible. The weapons that we fight with are not the weapons of this world...they have divine power to destroy strongholds and take every thought captive to Christ. 2 Corinthians 1-:4-5. Come on! As we sang this morning, the fog lifted and the beginnings of sunlight - slowly, little by little by little (Exodus 23:30)- broke through the church windows. Let us be those who sing songs in dark places today. Acts 16:25. 

Praise is my warfare

Praise is my warfare

Praise is my warfare

And as I sing, the darkness lifts.