Joy to the WorldSample

Joy in the Pain

I once spoke at a funeral where everyone was grieving except for one three-year-old child who was filled with joy and dancing at the front as the service was happening.

You could hear everyone hold their breath as I came to the podium to deliver the sermon (read “sermon” as what the others thought was the “most serious and important time of the funeral service”).

As I stood there watching this contrasting scene of tears and twirls, I simply said, “If ever there was a time for noise…”—I let this hang as people held their breath—“…it’s now!” (and the exhales released).

I continued by saying that, yes, we were there to grieve death—but we were also there to celebrate life.

In Luke 23, Jesus is on His way to the Cross, and everyone is grieving. The disciples. The women. Simon from Cyrene. The two criminals.

It’s a scene full of tears.

But there was a twirl waiting in those tears.

As the three men hung there, one chastised Jesus while the other put his faith in Him.

And how did Jesus respond to that one? He made a promise, saying, “…today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

The writer of Hebrews says that despite all the emotions that day, Jesus held on to one—joy.

How could He do that?

The answer: He did it by seeing past His circumstances.

You see, Jesus was walking to the Cross, but He was looking ahead to paradise and everyone He would take with Him there.

That’s where His joy came from. Not from His present but from His promise.

And that’s why Hebrews tells us to fix our eyes on Him.

We can’t see past our present, but Jesus can. If we keep our eyes on Him, who sees where He is taking us, His promise will bring us to His paradise.

That’s the joy that Jesus had at the Cross, the journey that began in the manger of Bethlehem that we honor every December.

And that’s the joy He wants us to have as we give Him our tears and He gives us His twirls.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for seeing beyond our present and into Your promise. Help me to give You my tears and wait with expectation for the twirls You have promised me. Amen.

Reflection: What is an area of grief in your life that you need to surrender to Jesus? Pray through that or share it with someone who can help you pray through it.