Joy Stronger than Pain

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 18:9-18 ~~~ Psalm 47 ~~~ 

~~~ John 16:20-23 ~~~

But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.

God told Paul in a vision to not be afraid...
to go on speaking of Jesus.
In today's Gospel we hear about our mourning turning into joy.

When we are facing trials and suffering in our life
we should cling to this message of being not afraid...
We should trust that our suffering is actually temporary.

But I will see you again...

Jesus is telling us he will see us again,
but the promise of the Resurrection implies that
we will see our loved ones as well.
Our loved ones who have gone before us
already know the joy that we seek.

...your hearts will rejoice...

When we see Jesus in heaven our hearts will rejoice
any fear and sadness previously experienced will be forgotten.

The pain a woman experiences during childbirth
 pales in comparison to the joy of giving birth to her child.

In this the joy far surpasses the physical pain.

...no one will take your joy away from you...

When you find true joy no one can take it away.
The martyrs went to their brutal deaths
with joy in their hearts.
They overcame their fears
because they believed they
 would be in heaven with Jesus.

If you do not believe that you will see Jesus again
there is little reason to believe in the after life.

Our joy can be greater than our pain and fears.
Grace nourishes our joy.
Grace keeps our supply of joy alive in our soul.

Our joy is not dependent on our physical existence.
Our joy must come from the Divine source of love.

Blessed with a joy that
sustains me in times of fear.

~~~Peace~~~

Up Close and Personal

~~~ Genesis 32:23-33 ~~~ Psalm 17 ~~~ Matthew 9:32-38 ~~~

 

Having had total hip replacement a couple years ago,

I can identify with Jacob today.

I did not have 'an encounter with God' resulting in my hip problems though.

Once again we see when God changes your heart he also changes your name.

 

Jacob, from now on, will be called Israel.

 

“You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel,
because you have contended with divine and human beings
and have prevailed.”

 

Jacob asks for another blessing from this force he has wrestled.

Jacob has come to value blessings; after all he cheated his own brother

out of the coveted blessing from their father.

 

From now on Jacob will come to represent all people...the tribes of Israel.

 

Jacob limped along because of his hip.

 

So was this struggle good or bad?

Jacob was now afflicted with a dislocated hip.

He ability to walk would now be accentuated with pain.

Anyone who has experienced sciatic nerve pain 

knows how crippling it can be.

It is a pain that cannot be ignored. It is a haunting pain.

 

There was no need for the wrestling to continue throughout the night;

other than Jacob was also wrestling with his own conscience.

 

What is heavy on your soul can keep you awake at night.

When we are conflicted within God needs to get our attention.

When Jacob's hip was wrenched it brought him into reality.

Darkness makes it impossible to physically see,

making it easier to delve into one's own soul.

Night brings the cover of darkness.

Jacob was alone with the darkness of his own heart.

 

Jacob had been denying his own guilt concerning his brother Esau.

Jacob had destroyed his relationship with his brother

and now had the audacity to wrestle with God.

Did he really believe there would be no consequences for his actions.

 

 

It takes time, but Jacob does realize the value in reconciling with his brother.

God makes all things right in his own time.

Jacob had been away for twenty years.

God faithfully protected Jacob with his angels,

as was previously promised.

 

Jacob returns to his brother for healing. He no longer sees his brother as a threat.

Jacob is not returning to claim his greater inheritance portion.

 

Jacob had an up close and personal encounter

with what he considered to be God.

Jacob wrapped his arms and legs around his opponent.

He could feel the breath of his opponent.

He could could hear the sounds of their physical contact.

 

We too struggle with our sinfulness.

Blessing for us come in reconciling our differences.

Make peace with your family as it heals the soul

and opens the door for grace and blessings.

Like Jacob, we too must live with who we truly are.

 

Blessings in tumbling with God.