Deuteronomy 16:15

Practical Joy

 For seven days celebrate the Feast to the LORD your God at the place the LORD will choose. For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.

John 10:10b

Jesus’ Mission

 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full

Psalm 45:7b

The Holy Spirit

Therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.

Joy – a long time ago I heard a preacher talking about the beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). He thought the name was unhelpful and that really they should be called the happys because they were about freedom and joy. He went on to say that there wasn’t enough joy in the church and that when some people talked of the deep joy within them it seemed that it was so deep that it would take 70 years to dig it out.

I’ve carried the words of that preacher within me for more than 20 years and often wondered whether the worst sin (if there was such a thing) we’ve ever committed within the church is to make others think the awesome, vibrant, creator God is dull and boring.

A life with God is many things. It’s challenging, difficult, amazing, real, profound, confusing, invigorating, dangerous, stimulating, meaningful, painful, fun, creative and joyful. It is never dull. It is never boring.

Recapture the Joy! Fill you heart again with His amazing love and grace. Allow yourself to be all that you were meant to be, all that you were designed to be by the God who loves and knows you completely.

Activity – when was the last time you did something child like. I don’t mean childish, that’s something completely different. When was the last time you laughed until milk came out of your nose? Or the last time you spontaneously danced or sang a totally made up, nonsensical song just because it felt good? When did you last feel your heart fill up to bursting with joy? When did you last play tag with someone? When did you last take time to look at a flower, a tree, a sunset or find the beauty in something mundane? When was the last time your eyes lit up with the joy of being with a friend?

Have a look at this list of things and see what grabs you …

Make some sort of paper plane and fly it.

Make up a limerick.

Make a mental list of your 5 favourite sounds/words/smells.

Dance like an idiot.

Sing … anything … loudly.

Start a game of never ending tag with someone.

Fly a kite.

Blow bubbles.

Do some basic origami.

Learn to juggle.

Make a mental list of things that make you joyful.

Eat the biggest ice-cream you can find (get it on your face).

Go for a walk with no particular destination in mind.

Play Hungry Hippos (or similar).

Try to Hoola Hoop.

Take every opportunity to bounce on a bouncy castle.

Drink milkshakes with a friend (blow bubbles and slurp)

Make a pirate map.

Bake a cake and ice it the way you want it.

Get the paints out and splodge some colours on a bit of paper..

Summer (listen to birdsong, imitate it, feel the warm breeze on your face)

Autumn (kick leaves, play conkers, look for frosted spider webs)

Winter (look for woozles, make snow angels, watch the rain, wrap up warm and go for a walk)

Spring (look out for the first flower, plant something, plan an adventure)

Read – this was written by a young man but it’s for everyone.

Spirit

Spirit of Truth roars between the hills like a raging torrent,

Free and soaring He smiles in delight,

Invisible to mortal eye but clothed in Heavenly colour,

He sighs, skipping over the cool still waters,

Toying with whipped up waves,

Tumbling through green meadow enjoying His creation.

On and on until He sees the house of His loved one; His crown of creation.

Pausing for a moment at the window,

He looks upon His child.

Then moving into the room,

His heart fills with such love and anticipation,

Spirit waits.

He listens to the words of the man,

“I have done wrong. Forgive me. Free me.”

Then, gentle as a cloud, He touches His newly found Son,

And takes him home.

Read – Psalm 150 (NIV)

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his acts of power;

praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet,

praise him with harp and lyre,

praise him with tambourine and dancing,

praise him with the strings and flute’

praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord