10 LORDS A-LEAPING! On the 10th Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… “Ten Lords a-Leaping.”
Well, I guess that’s what Lords do. Although in my experience I’ve never actually witnessed such a fleet-footed display of agility from any of the stuffy assortment of nobility who tend to inhabit the upper crust.
Ten luminary toffs, hot-footing their way through a Christmas jig, is not exactly a compelling or inspirational seasonal image, is it? Unless it involves the idea of dancing for joy in response to all the good news that comes along with the dawning of light and life in a troubled world.
CHOICE: Today is January 3, and it begs the question, “What would get any one of us leaping for joy.”
Rather than answer that question with a litany of stories that illustrate why I find myself so joyful so much of the time (“insufferably so” as I have been told), I thought I’d simply write as an advocate for joy.
You see I honestly believe that the disposition of joy is mostly a choice. Few people own heart-level joy in response to circumstance alone. Likewise, few people lose that quality of joy just because life takes a difficult or a tragic turn.
“Rejoice in the Lord always,” Paul encouraged his friends. “I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4)
“I have learned,” he went on to say, “to be content irrespective of my situation.”
That’s some good stuff worth doing some a-leaping about, friends! The joy decision is an approach to living life like we mean it that’s only possible in the context of Christmas Love.
January 3. Write it down. This could be the day you became a “Leaping-for-joy Jesus-follower!”
It’s a choice. Really. Because if this is the kind of a 2014 you intend to experience, then you might as well start with the leaping today!
– DEREK
Good to see you and sister Becka so glad to have family around .Tell grace and David I said hello .I miss there company.
Thanks, Joe. Good to see you all – Lindsay is obviously doing well. Sealed the deal today for my parents’ new house – they enjoy seeing you too and missed you Thanksgiving. Peace – Derek