NOTE: It’s not just Flat Jesus who gets to travel this year. Whether or not you’re leaving town, Trinity members will be traveling, taking each week to reflect on a step in the journey of following Christ. These steps are laid out in our passport, available to take home this Sunday. Ideas written here are meant to provide an opportunity for conversation and connection.
God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. Genesis 1:31
All of it?
Volcanoes? Viruses?
One key insight of Judaism, which Christianity follows, is that evil exists. Not everything that happens is God’s will. Christians will often perform theological gymnastics to get around this truth–“God works in mysterious ways,” “God will never send more than you can handle,” or “God is testing you.” These ideas can make God out to be a manipulative monster–no wonder we have such a hard time trusting in God’s love when what we describe as God’s will looks so destructive!
This is why it is so important that we take the step given to us on the first page of our passport: Find joy in something you see or hear.
Joy: the core of faithful living
Looking for joy doesn’t mean being optimistic or looking on the bright side of life. Joy is not obvious. Seeing what is wrong–that’s easy. We are hard-wired to see danger simply as a survival skill. In finding joy we know that we are meant for more than survival. St. Paul names joy as one of the fruits of the Spirit because paying attention to the things of God draws us into the bigger picture and purpose of our lives, and not just through our own insights.
Here we should recall that Jesus brings GOOD News. Even as he calls people into repentance as a way of preparing to hear his message, Jesus is concerned with the Good News message that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Unlike many preachers who follow him, Jesus doesn’t put in a lot of time focused on what
is wrong. Maybe this is why people say Jesus is more attractive than his followers. He casts out demons without engaging in much speculation about who they are or where they come from. His focus is on his invitation to new life, not on the opposition. This is not to say that Christians don’t fight against evil, but if we are following Christ we oppose evil from a place of hope and strength, and joy is a great place to begin.
Joy (and thanksgiving, which is a close relative) means taking a step toward becoming like Christ. What joy can you find this week?