The Joy of the Lord

 

The tubular conduit curves under the wall of the steading, carrying electricity cables. It has been in place several years, and during those years, it turns out, roots from the elder and the apple trees have penetrated the plastic and clogged the pipe. The blockage is tight and impossible to loosen, impossible to shift.

Jesus’ first recorded miracle, according to John, was performed quietly at a wedding, when the wine ran out. He turned the water into wine, so that the hosts would not be shamed, and so that the people could rejoice.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Joy is a gift of God. Life can clog our inner spirits. Hard things happen, and they, in turn, can harden us. Jesus taught his disciples that the kingdom of God belongs to little children – and little children are characterised by joy. They notice the little things and marvel. Their sharp eyes perceive the world around them and receive it with faith and love and joy.

I don’t think the pipe outside can be cleaned out – it may need to be replaced. My inner being, on the other hand, can be cleared, by the miracle of the Holy Spirit living in me, turning water into wine. He can blast through all the negatives that have hardened within me through the years. He can clear away all the debris and detritus which makes me rigidly cynical and old. Unless you become like little children, Jesus said…

I commented to one of my sons last night in a WhatsApp message that there is so much sadness in the world right now. His response was, yes, but also joy, so much joy. And he attached a couple of short videos, one of his 4-year-old playing with his little brother, giggling away, and then of the nearly 2-year-old twins sliding through the room, each one wearing one of the parents’ pairs of slippers. Simple, unadulterated joy.

As we walk towards the Cross during these next two weeks, I ask the Holy Spirit to sweep into me once more, clearing away all that would prevent the joy of the Lord from flowing through me. The joy of the Lord is our strength. The joy of the Lord is a gift of God. May we all be cleansed and filled today with the joy of the Lord.