Post by Les Brewer on Feb 7, 2013 18:43:33 GMT
Joy of Loving Jesus by Joe Stowell
February 6, 2013
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:11
Ever been in love? If so, you know what it means to be preoccupied. I met my wife Martie in the fall of our freshman year at college. It didn’t take long for me to know that my heart had become hopelessly lost to her. When summer came, she went home to Cleveland, and I went on the road for 10 weeks with a team of musicians to represent our college.
We had a great summer. Our days were filled with exciting experiences, interesting places, and chances to meet all kinds of people. But no matter how new and exciting the trip, my mind kept returning to Martie. I hoped there would be a letter from her at the next church, and that she would be at home when I called. I wondered where she was, what she was doing, and what we’d be doing if we were together. I looked forward to the joy we would experience when we were together again.
It’s like that for those of us who are developing an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus. Though busy in our daily routines, we find that He increasingly becomes the backdrop to all of life. We love to hear from Him in His Word, where we find out more about Him and about what He wants us to know. We are thrilled to learn about Him and His ways, and we listen carefully to His direction for our lives. We increasingly enjoy times of prayer, as we speak with Him and sense His communication with us. And we find ourselves longing for the day we will see him face-to-face.
Loving Jesus is not an escape from life, nor is it a brief encounter on some monastic retreat. It’s the joy of staying in touch and the pleasure of knowing that regardless of what a day may bring, the best day is still to come.
February 6, 2013
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:11
Ever been in love? If so, you know what it means to be preoccupied. I met my wife Martie in the fall of our freshman year at college. It didn’t take long for me to know that my heart had become hopelessly lost to her. When summer came, she went home to Cleveland, and I went on the road for 10 weeks with a team of musicians to represent our college.
We had a great summer. Our days were filled with exciting experiences, interesting places, and chances to meet all kinds of people. But no matter how new and exciting the trip, my mind kept returning to Martie. I hoped there would be a letter from her at the next church, and that she would be at home when I called. I wondered where she was, what she was doing, and what we’d be doing if we were together. I looked forward to the joy we would experience when we were together again.
It’s like that for those of us who are developing an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus. Though busy in our daily routines, we find that He increasingly becomes the backdrop to all of life. We love to hear from Him in His Word, where we find out more about Him and about what He wants us to know. We are thrilled to learn about Him and His ways, and we listen carefully to His direction for our lives. We increasingly enjoy times of prayer, as we speak with Him and sense His communication with us. And we find ourselves longing for the day we will see him face-to-face.
Loving Jesus is not an escape from life, nor is it a brief encounter on some monastic retreat. It’s the joy of staying in touch and the pleasure of knowing that regardless of what a day may bring, the best day is still to come.
