Leap for Joy

Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

    for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now,

    for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now,

    for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when people hate you,

    when they exclude you and insult you

    and reject your name as evil,

        because of the Son of Man.

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

“But woe to you who are rich,

    for you have already received your comfort.

Woe to you who are well fed now,

    for you will go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

    for you will mourn and weep.

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,

    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:20-28 NIV).

Job had just lost pretty much everything, his possessions, his livelihood, his servants and his children. His first response was to grieve this loss and to call on God and to worship the Lord. Then, and then only was he able to take this attitude: 

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (see Job 1:1-22)

Paul, to keep him from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations God had given to him, was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass him. This, he said, was “to keep me from becoming conceited.” 

Then, he said, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

And, then only was Paul able to state that he delighted (took pleasure in or was content in) insults, persecutions and difficulties.

So, it isn’t that we must immediately respond to our trials with “Yay!” “Yippee!” We may have to grieve them first, call on God, and/or plead for deliverance from them. But, then we must resolve to accept the sovereignty of God over our lives, and that God works all things for good for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

Leap for Joy

  

An Original Work / August 2, 2011

Based off of Luke 6:20-36

Leap for joy in that day.

Great is your reward in heaven.

Blessed are you who are poor;

Blessed are you who hunger now.

You will be satisfied and 

You will laugh if you weep now.

Blessed are you when men hate you

And exclude you because of Christ.

Leap for joy in that day.

Love your enemies who hate you.

Do them good; say kind things;

Pray for those who treat you wrong.

If you love those who love you

What reward is there for you?

Love your enemies and your

Reward will be great in heaven.

Leap for joy in that day.

You will be sons of the Most High.

Be ye kind; merciful

To the ungrateful always.

If you love those who love you

What reward is there for you?

Do to others as you would have

Them do to you every day.

Leap for joy in that day.

Great is your reward in heaven.

Blessed are you who are poor;

Blessed are you who hunger now.

You will be satisfied and

You will laugh if you weep now.

Blessed are you when men hate you 

And exclude you because of Christ.

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