Daily Worship

The black dog was barking

Albert Bogle December 03, 2017 0 0
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Image credit: Pixabay

John 15: 11

11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

We begin the season of Advent in Sanctuary First on a note of real hope. For the Christian something profound happened with the birth of Jesus. It is the story of God’s rescue plan. It addresses the futility and hopelessness of life, when living in the world with no meaningful God connection. 

The incarnation is more than just God’s calling card. It is God making his home with humanity. God becomes one of us and changes the whole dimension of life itself. In Jesus, God declares his intention for his creation. He is loving us into eternity. 

The deepest joy a man or a woman can know is to be embraced by that deep feeling of hopefulness. It is a feeling that tells us we will survive even the darkest of times. It may just be for a moment. But in that moment we get glimpse of what can and will be. Truly if God is for us who or what can be against us? Take a moment to live the joy of knowing a moment of hopefulness.

 

Oh God

I was truly falling

Spiralling into the dark

The black dog was barking

I was enjoying 

My hopelessness

Locking myself away

Turning away from Joy

And comfort

And life itself

Justifying my empty heart

Love had been stolen

The connection broken

Faith was flickering

The turmoil raged

Day and night

I felt emptied of all compassion

I was sinking 

Falling 

Drowning 

Then I felt a deep sorrow

Welling up from within me

I wanted to feel hope again

To know love again

Tears of regret began to flow

Sorrow broke over me like a river

I cried for the wasted bread of life

Then it happened 

You heard my cry 

Bread was returning to me on the water of my tears

Hope was arriving 

You surprised me with Joy

O God

How can I speak your name 

Without laughter filling my mouth

 

Take a moment 

Live the joy...