Total Joy...

Every once in awhile you have one of those moments where you wish that you could just bottle up the joy that is spilling out of your soul and hang onto it forever.  This morning I had one of those moments.  Our youth group had been asked to lead worship at our Easter Sunrise Service, and as I sat in the front row worshiping along with them, my heart couldn't help but feel filled.  It wasn't that they were singing perfect, or that they had poured countless hours into practicing, or even that they were dressed in their Sunday best.  It was the pure fact that they were giving glory to a God who has changed their lives, something that I pray every teenager will choose do every second they wake up.  We were singing David Crowder's song, "O Praise Him," and just when I thought that I couldn't sing any louder, I caught one of my teens who was leading worship look over and get this huge smile on her face.  I turned to my left, and what I saw completely melted my heart.  There standing next to me were Nate and Biruk, dressed in their Sunday suits, smiling ear to ear.  Biruk held out his little arms, I took him into mine, and he rested his little head on my shoulder as we continued to worship our God together as a family.  Words cannot describe that moment....other than to say...total joy.

Right after that, one of our teens got up and shared about how he had seen God at work in his life this past year.  Knowing his story, knowing the obstacles he has faced, and knowing what he has been through over the past few years of his life, I listened in amazement as he talked about God's unconditional love in his life.  I listened as he shared about his desire to be a man of God in ALL areas of his life.  I listened as he shared about his passion to see God at work on his lacrosse team.  Several moments later, we sang the words, "Oh...how he loves us so.  Oh how he loves us.  How he loves us so," talking about the God that has changed his life and mine.  Words can't do that moment justice other than to say to say...total joy.

Then another young girl from our youth group stood up to share her story of how God has been at work in her life this past year.  She shared about how she had never been in the church before coming to ours, but had chosen to give her life to Christ last year at Spring Retreat.  She then launched into her powerful story of the transformation that has taken place, sharing about God breaking her heart with the things that have broke his, and concluding with these words, "I am not afraid to stand up for my faith.  I know who my leader is.  I know who I am following."  While that was amazing in itself to hear, what was the most amazing was the fact that her father, whom she has been praying for daily and inviting to church weekly, was sitting five feet away from her on the front row.  As she shared, I couldn't help but think, words can't do this moment justice other than to say...total joy.

Holding my child in my arms on our first Easter together, singing worship songs to the God who has totally changed the course of my life, and listening to the teenagers that I have been called to pastor share their personal stories of transformation...wow...total joy.  I have been reminded this Easter season, in so many ways, that Easter is more than just a story.  It's more than just something we celebrate once a year.  It's more than something that gets people out of bed to come to church.  It's more than baskets, candy, and egg hunts.  It's about a God who loved us enough to send his only son to die for us.  It's about a Son who not only died for us, but conquered the grave.  It's about that kind of conquering power that we have access to in our life when we invite Jesus into our hearts.

It's that power that rescued an orphan on the other side of the world in a little orphanage in Ethiopia.  It's that power that answered the prayers of a couple who begged God for a family.  It's that power that transformed the life of a teen who had been dealt some tough cards in life.  It's that power that broke a young girls heart to help her to see the world as God sees it so that she can make a difference in it.  It's that power that brought a father to church after nights of prayer.  It's that power that leaves you speechless on a day to day basis because of the indescribable joy that comes with it.  It's that power that makes you want to bottle up moments of your life so that you can treasure them forever.  It's power that transforms.  It's power that changes.  It's power that will change the course of your life.  It's resurrection power.  And that power brings...total joy.


Comments

  1. HeatherMay 1, 2014 at 7:00 AM

    Hi Andrea! My name is Heather and I have a quick question about your blog! If you could email me at Lifesabanquet1(at)gmail(dot)com that would be great!

    ReplyDelete

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