Daily Devotional

I picked up the pea between my thumb and finger and flicked it across the table at my husband. Our three girls gasped in shock.  Throwing food at the table was not allowed! My husband retaliated with a twinkle in his eye. In a quick moment the green missiles were flying back and forth, while our doggie quickly gobbled up the fallen peas on the floor.  Shouts, giggles and laughter filled the room. Our routine dinner at the table turned into a joy-filled event.  

Sometimes you have to create the joy. One day when our teenage daughters had friends over, I handed each a bottle of whipped cream.  I instructed them to play tag in the backyard with the whipped cream. They needed no other invitation. They chased each other around the yard spraying each other with whipped cream. Laughter and screams filled the air.  I never knew a bottle of whipped cream could be so much fun. What a joy-filled event. Of course, a dip in the pool finished the afternoon off.  

Sometimes the joy comes unexpectedly. One day I thought I was going to faint and called out for help from my hubby.  He gallantly scooped me up in his arms and proceeded to walk through the doorway. In his haste, he forgot to turn and slammed my head and feet against the door frame. Ouch! Continuing into our bedroom he dropped me on the bed. My knight in shining armor forgot it was a water bed.  My body dropped to the bottom and the water sloshed me up to bounce and hit my head against the wooden head board. Ouch! He was so apologetic. The good result: I was not feeling faint anymore! This remembrance has brought us many a laugh over the years!

Yes, joy is a medicine. It wipes away the cares of the world. Joy can insulate us from the harsh realities we face every day. I think it is profound that the apostle Paul uses the word, joy over a dozen times in the book of Philippians. Life must have been tough for the Philippians. Paul knew they needed a perspective of joy. We need this perspective of joy in our day and times too. Instead of being trapped in troubles, take it to God and let God handle it.

Philippians 4:6,7 - “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The fact we can reach out to God to take our troubles is a reason to shout for joy.
Need a little practice in joy? Have some peas for dinner or play tag with bottles of whipped cream. I don’t recommend you get a waterbed.

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.