Good Morning Joyful Co-Laboring Followers of the Way! Amen! Karan I were discussing choosing joy. She mentioned that HGTV start Jasmin Roth has a clothing line she wears on TV that has "Build your happiness" on it. Now that's talking about physically building something that makes you happy and implies material things like houses or kitchens. But can we build happiness in the spiritual realm? Well, yes. The Bible says to choose joy. Isn't that building joy and helps with our happiness and attitudes. Can you build peace? Well God can in you and that comes about as you choose joy as you trust Him with whatever you are facing. That helps lead to happiness. Amen! So in Christ, we have the ability to chose joy always and receive His perfect peace beyond understanding as we cast all anxiety upon Him. Often that begins with casting praise to Him and building our joy levels. Many times we need the help of some co-laboring friends to help us redirect or stay on track. And joy and peace do come as we trust and follow Jesus. yes build your happiness --always as you trust, follow and praise our Lord and Savior! Check out this thread that God gave me ...Build your happy place by choosing joy and moving to Son-shine street! Remember that joy is a fruit of the Spirit! So the Spirit will help you choose it, live it and build your happy place in Christ! Amen! I'm praying for you! You are God's masterpiece made new in Christ and activated to choose and bring joy ! Shalom shalom--know His perfect peace!
Sarah Young
ODB:
God Understands
[Jesus] shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death. Hebrews 2:14
In his Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, John Koenig offers a collection of new words, each invented to give a name to complicated feelings we previously lacked a word for. His book includes words like dés vu, “the awareness that this moment will become a memory,” and onism, “the frustration of being stuck in just one body, that inhabits only one place at one time.” Koenig says his mission is to shed light on all of the unique and strange experiences of being human, so that people can feel less alone in those experiences.
While we might not always be able to find a word for what we’re going through, believers in Jesus can take great comfort in knowing that God values and understands what it’s like to be human. He values people so much that He chose to entrust humanity with caring for creation (Hebrews 2:7-8). And because of Jesus, God understands completely what it’s like to live as a human. Christ is God made fully human, which means other believers are called Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” (v. 12).
Christ not only understands all our experiences and temptations (4:15) but He has also broken “the power of death” over our lives (2:14). Because of Him, our experiences need not cause us to feel afraid or alone. Instead, we can celebrate the gift of being human.
By Monica La Rose
REFLECT & PRAY
What experiences do you sometimes struggle to find words for? How does it encourage you to know God understands and values your experience?
Dear God, thank You that You value being human and empathize with all that I experience.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Hebrews 2:6-8 references Psalm 8:4-6. In this psalm, David is in awe of God for creating and caring for creation, particularly people: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (v. 4). It likewise amazes the psalmist that God entrusted the creation into our care (vv. 5-8). The author of Hebrews references Psalm 8 to point to Jesus, who, by becoming a man, lowered Himself so that He could die for our sins (Hebrews 2:7, 9). He loves us that much—and understands all we’re going through!
Alyson Kieda
UR: The Kindness of Others
By their fruit you will recognize them. - Matthew 7:20 (NIV)
I volunteer by delivering meals in my mountain community. After a major winter storm with single-digit temperatures and power outages, I drove up a steep, snow-covered road to check on an elderly woman who lived alone. When I saw snowmobile tracks leading to her house, I worried she might have had an emergency. I was relieved to find her healthy, content, and warm beside a wood fire in her stove. When I asked about the tracks, she told me, “Oh, some kid stopped by to check on me.” Even though she didn’t know the person, she knew someone had made the effort to confirm she was safe.
I don’t know who the snowmobiler was either, but on some level I feel that I do. This person’s selfless act reflected the care, concern, and grace our Lord shows us every day. We all are on a journey to our eternal home and, at one time or another, we all need a helping hand. As Jesus, our Savior and Guide, said, “Do you love me? . . . Take care of my sheep” (Jn. 21:16). May each of us be ready to respond to those in need and be equally ready to accept the help others offer us.
's Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for the kindness we see in others, which is an extension of the grace and mercy you bestow on us. Amen.
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