LUKE 6:273

Luke 6:23

‘Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

TO PONDER

There is more to joy than you may think. It’s good to feel the lightness of joy in good times, but what about in dark times. Can there be joy in difficulty and persecution?

Jesus says ‘yes’. Talking to his disciples about the persecution of God’s prophets, even to the point of murder, he encourages them to embrace the same possibility and its associated suffering when it comes, and to rejoice in being chosen. This is suffering for the gospel in mission. 

Sharing our faith with others is mostly painless and has joyful results, but on occasion the response can be anything from rude to violent. The followers of Jesus, whose hearts are full of the joy of the presence of the Lord, full of the fire of his Holy Spirit, and full of holy desire to love and serve God and our neighbour, will willingly suffer for the gospel’s sake. We know that there is a great reward awaiting us in God’s presence. Heaven is not a geographical location but is located wherever God is. Now and into eternity, joy is with and in the Lord.

Remember: In darkness and in light, joy may be found in the presence of God.

PRAYER

Help me to not be afraid, but to share your goodness and grace with everyone you send to me. Help us to leap for joy at the reward that awaits. Amen.

Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra