One thing I learned from my parents was to keep things in
perspective, and from that you are freed to be able to laugh at things which
maybe aren’t so funny otherwise. Difficult times, awkward situations,
embarrassing moments, all can provide laughter down the years.
I used to hear them laughing at the breakfast table when I
woke up in the morning, even in the last few years when health issues were
impinging on the quality of their lives. They reminisced, shared stories –
probably the same stories they’d shared for years, but they still brought a
chuckle or a guffaw.
Life is such a gift. We are so blessed to have breath in our
bodies. I know that might sound puerile and easy to say when we live
comfortably. From the viewpoint of many hard-pressed people round the world, it
may not seem quite like that. And yet, people strive and struggle to achieve
standards which they value, revealing their recognition that life is a gift
worth fighting for.
Eternal life is also a gift, which Jesus reckoned was worth
his dying for so that we could receive it.
We are about to celebrate his birth.
Even that was so selfless and loving – to leave behind the glory of heaven and
be humbled as a man.
It’s all very serious, and full of mystery and suffering and
sorrow, but through it all, I can hear God laugh. Laugh with us, like my
parents sitting at the breakfast table, reminiscing. Our Father so yearns for
us to share his joy.
Today, make sure you find time to laugh. To see the funny
side of situations which aren’t in themselves very funny. To accept the life
that Jesus gifts to each of us, eternal life.
The joy of the Lord is your strength.
No comments:
Post a Comment