“These things have I spoken
unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:11
This past weekend was
indeed an enjoyable experience. I experienced Joy
in the Journey, which was the theme of
the Christian Women’s Retreat I attended. The speaker had written the word JOY
many times on her flip-chart. I knew there was an acronym in the word, but what?
Then my new book,
Length of Days – Beyond the Valley
of the Keepers, which is
available on Amazon later today, came to mind. Christy is trying to help an
underling understand that all people are equal, but “equal” is not in the
underling’s vocabulary. Finally, the mole, or underling, has a flash of
insight.
“Oh ... yoke-sharers,” he said as his face spread into a
grin. “I’ll carry the bucket on my shoulder if you’ll carry the other one on
your shoulder.”
J.O.Y. = Jesus Our Yoke-sharer. He doesn’t have us skirt around the hard-stuff of
life; he walks with us right through the mess, carrying our burden on his
shoulders to lighten our load. The
trials of life make us stronger; they build our faith-muscles, as we learn to
carry our burdens in-step with Jesus. Can you imagine how much harder it would
be to be yoked with another and yet we try to control the pace, or try to walk
ahead of Jesus, dragging him behind us, or ignoring him altogether which would
force him on our shoulders along with the cargo we carry? Bring true joy and
strength to your heart by sharing your pain with Jesus. Choose J.O.Y. each and
every day. Let us pray:
“Father, God, you have created in me a strong and independent
heart. Holy are you, Father and therefore unable to make mistakes. May your
kingdom of joy come into my heart this day, in full measure, filled to the brim
and running over to touch the lives of others. I give over my free-spirit to
you dear Lord. I know, when I relinquish my need to hurry along the way of
life, and let you lead, you will take me into glorious places of the heart I
could never have access to on my own. You lead and I will walk beside you. Like
a great dancer, the movement of your heart will direct me and allow me to
lock-step with you. Forgive me when I try to run ahead of you. For each time I
do, I choke myself on the yoke I have chosen. You are my partner in life,
shouldering the burdens and sharing the joy. Today, I choose yoke-sharing. In
the name of Jesus, the Christ, your son and my savior, I pray. Amen”
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you
mine.”
Copyright 2015 Doris Gaines Rapp
Books by Doris
Gaines Rapp
Novelette:
News at Eleven (Glo Magazine Jan, Feb, March, and April 2015 – now
on newsstands and online at http://www.glo-mag.com/view-our-issues/
Novels:
Length of Days – Beyond the Valley of
the Keepers (February 2015)
News at Eleven – A Novel (April 2015)
Others in the side-bar
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