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17. Loving Joy

Tuesday 5th March 

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(for more details see here)

 

Pause:

"As I enter prayer, I pause to be still;
to breathe slowly;
to re-center my scattered senses
upon the presence of God."

LECTIO 365 (DAILY PRAYER APP)

 

Today's reading: John 16.16-33

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Joy!

"You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." (JOHN 16. 20)

"Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." (JOHN 16.22) 

"Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (JOHN 16. 24) 


Not a short lived burst of excitement, burning out all it's fuel in one blast.
Not simply a reaction to an unexpected turn of events that fades over time.
Not a joy that is partial, and tainted, and fragile.

But a complete joy!
An untakeable joy!


There is a joy that has known no grief.
A sweet, innocent joy - as new as a baby and yet somehow also naive.
And there is a beauty to it - but as yet it lacks robustness... 

But then there's another joy that lies on the other side of grief. 
Joy that has suffered lost and has yet survived.
That has tasted pain but not been poisoned by it's bitterness.
That has known the wounds of life and yet wears them with poise, and peace, and strength, and grace.
 
Grief turned to joy.
That's what Jesus promises.
That's what Jesus does.
That's the joy Jesus brings.

 

Reflection: 

The only way out is through.

Lord, I sometimes wish I could shortcut the journey, speed up the process, skip a few levels.
But You call me to a different road, a deeper path.
I want the joy without the grief.
The happy ending without the painful chapters.
The crown without the cross.
The resurrection life without first dying to my self.

But that joy is incomplete.
That joy is untested.
That joy can be taken away.

Instead, today, I bring to You the burden and baggage of my grief.
I take my secret sorrows out of the inner sanctum,
and lay them in the safety and stillness of Your presence.

Only You can take them.
Only You can trade them.
Only You can transform them.

I don't know why You'd want them - except that Your deep joy lies in loving me.
I don't know how it's possible - but I trust that You bore my sorrows and You felt my grief.

And so, today - I choose the path of going through.
Not stopping before grief and ending my journey here
Not avoiding it's reality and wandering through dark and distant places
Not burrowing underneath and becoming crushed by it's weight
Not attempting to jump over only to find I don't have the wings to carry me

But I'm going in
I'm going through
For it is here in death's dark valley that You have promised to be with me
For this road You know all too well
For You never leave me nor forsake me
And so I choose to trust You again
I choose hope
I choose life
I choose love
I choose joy
 

Glad

I'm glad that God
did not so order the world
that laughter and pain
come in separate little boxes,
never to meet
or mingle.

I'm glad that the greatest of comedians
can bring me to the verge of despair,
and that a quadriplegic
who paints with his teeth
and taps out prose
one letter at a time
can remind me
of the richness of comedy.

I'm glad that laughter and pain
come intertwined
like veins in marble
and that it takes a detective
to trace them
and poems
to root them out.

GERARD KELLY (Spoken Worship)
 

Questions for today:

  • Where do you find your joy?
 

Prayer:

I will come and bow down
At Your feet Lord Jesus
In Your presence
Is fullness of joy
There is nothing
There is no one
Who compares with You
I take pleasure in
Worshiping You Lord

I will come and bow down
At Your feet Lord Jesus
In Your presence
Is fullness of joy
There is nothing
There is no one
Who compares with You
I take pleasure in
Worshiping You Lord
RON KENOLY

 I prayed this.

My prayer for today: (if you would like to, please feel free to add your own prayer here):


 


Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

 

Where and When

The church is open for activities throughout the week but if you are just seeking us out it is likely that you will want to come and be a part of our Sunday worship which is core to what we are about.
We meet in the main church building (details here) at 10:30 each week. See our calendar to find out plans for the next few weeks.

Accessibility

There is wheelchair access and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer and church lounge.

Our Sunday Services


Sunday morning services are structured but informal. They include a mix of both contemporary and traditional worship songs and hymns, prayers, readings from the Bible and a sermon that unpacks this. Occasionally we will also have specific updates about ways that God has been working through and in people and activities. Once a month we celebrate communion as part of the service. The last Sunday of the month is usually an Altogether Service when all ages are all together in one place for a more relaxed and activity based time of worship.

We aim to finish at about 11.45 to Midday when we serve free tea, coffee and cold drinks. This is a great opportunity to get to meet people.

Sunday Evening services, either in person or online, tend to be shorter and more reflective and are an opportunity to dig a little deeper into our relationship with God.
 

What about the children and youth?

We have a great programme for children of all ages, for more information about what happens please visit our Children and Youth page.

Getting Connected

 

Small Groups

It is often in smaller gatherings that we can really get to know other people. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some in the afternoon and some in the evening either in the church, in peoples’ homes or online    .
If you are interested in joining a Small Group, let us know and we can put you in touch with the small group coordinator who will be more than happy to find a group that is convenient for you and introduce you to the group leader.

Get Involved

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the life of our church. If you'd like to find out more, please let us know.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to discuss anything before you visit the church, get in touch and we can arrange a time to chat with you.
 
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Telephone:
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Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?