Joy

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him , and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this son of mine was dead, and had come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' and the began to be merry." Luke 15:22-24

Moses had a difficult time speaking and God made him a leader of a new nation.

Gideon was a coward. God made him a great military hero.

Deborah was a judge and military leader in a patriarchal society.

David killed a giant though he was small and had no armor that would fit.

Saul was a Pharisee. God made him an apostle of Grace.

God is always taking unlikely people and doing unlikely things...

Like this lavish party thrown for the father's wayward son.  There is no hint of a rebuke or a consequence.  There is just an order to fire up the barbecue and bring out the fancy clothes and be merry.  I'm a father. Under similar circumstances, it is unlikely that I would treat my own child this way...

The unlikely picture is of an old pair of my shoes.  They were ready for retirement after a couple of decades of faithful service.  However, I took them in to my shoe guy.  He's not fast, but he's good. This is what he did. He did something unexpected.  

I believe that the unexpected is often what we can expect from God.  Moses' leadership, Gideon's courage, Deborah's strength, and Paul's grace all point to a God who has more faith in us then we sometimes do in ourselves.  We never know what God will do next...a new job, a new school, or maybe a new perspective, 

These shoes remind me of a hunch of something unexpected.  I've had it for a while.  

I believe that God is reminding me that I need to find more joy in my life.  After all, I was dead and I have been brought to life!  I was a very happy child.  I lost that somewhere along the way.  However, I know that the story of the Prodigal Son is really about a Father who loves, delights in, and rejoices with his children. I know that our Lord is not a stuffy curmudgeon in heaven waiting to whack our fingertips with a ruler. I know that our Savior is a Holy God who went to the ends of the earth and the depths of Hell to be with us.  I also know that God is serious about sin, but also serious about a party.

It's unexpected, but maybe it is what the world needs, an Apostle of Joy. Maybe it is time to put on my new, old shoes  and "begin to be merry." Who's with me?

Church Stopping. Less Doing. More being.