May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15.13
Recently I was driving one of my usual routes through Poulsbo mostly thinking of my destination when the Lord surprised me. A couple blocks ahead I noticed something sort of bobbing along as the sidewalk curved with the street. It is a well-shaded street and not much was discernable but there was definitely something light-colored bobbing along, occasionally skipping, up ahead of me. As traffic allowed my approach of the bobbing, I could see …
… a family walking on the sidewalk. A tall man was carrying an infant in a carrier as he strode along. His neutral clothing caused him to blend into the shady landscape. Beside him was a girl about 3 years old wearing a sweet yellow dress and white bucket hat. She was holding Dad’s hand and keeping up his pace but bobbing all the way, up and down, up and down. Except for the occasionally skip. She was like a little beacon of joy-filled light sending out signals of happiness and certainty of security on a darkish street on a sunny afternoon. It made me smile, thinking of the simpleness of her afternoon walk. All she needed was to hold the hand of the one who keeps her safe and be her genuine self, unencumbered by the noisy traffic or the myriad other things that often crowd into my thinking.
I want to be that way more often, even at this stage of my life. Staying close to the One who keeps me safe and to be my genuine self. Not what the world tells me I should be or what I think others think I ought to be, but what He intends for each of us. To tend with priority to the actions that keep me close to God and to others who are doing the same. So that we can share about Him with others who haven’t met Him yet.
Last Sunday as Godwin Selembo encouraged us to remain hopeful in the process of suffering, he gave this excellent definition of joy … the untouchable part of God inside of us. The part that is not subject to circumstances or happenings; not even subject to emotions. The part of each person who has believed that allows assurance in knowing we are held by God and He alone is ultimately in control. So we may, if we so choose to, bob along holding His hand, being a beacon of joy. Trusting completely because His is completely trustworthy.
And I don’t think He will mind one bit if you ask Him today to delight you with something unexpected and simple and smile-worthy. Blessings, Colleen