Ed, my old neighbour in Saskatchewan, told me yesterday that I should be rejoicing because I鈥檓 to get my COVID-19 shot next week. I told Ed my booking for my vaccination was not joyous.
Booking the appointment online was a small nightmare, because I was pretty dull about what and how the computer wanted information. Eventually, after much frustration on my part, I was registered for my shot .My joy at having made my appointment was tempered by my frustration in achieving my booking. Sometimes I feel I鈥檓 confident on my computer, and sometimes it seems like I鈥檓 dumber than dirt at giving the computer what it wants. When it comes to my laptop, I鈥檓 both competent and incompetent.
I think joy and sorrow are the opposite sides of the same coin. Can the sorrow of Good Friday be separated from the joy of the resurrection of Easter Sunday? The challenge is not focusing on either joy or sorrow but on God, who is more magnificent than them both. When we focus on God, both sorrow and joy can be accepted as part of circumstances beyond our control.
When my computer skill is lacking, there is help if I鈥檓 willing to seek it and accept it. My competence or incompetence does not begin and end with me, but factors beyond my control. God is hidden in the affairs that are the mixture of the positive and the negative flow of everyday life. The Bible speaks in terms of, 鈥淎 time for everything, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.鈥� (Ecclesiastes 3:4) Our time on Earth is never just laughter or weeping, but the reality of both in our lives, sometimes on the same day.
Do we live our lives centred on the almighty God, who is love and grace? God is greater than our best or worst days. He allowed Jesus to lay down his life, suffering the punishment of our sins in his body on the cross on Good Friday. In Christ鈥檚 suffering and innocent death, 鈥淕od was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men鈥檚 sins against them.鈥� (2 Cor. 5:19)
God, who did not spare his own Son for the salvation of us sinners, calls us to dare to rejoice and celebrate with joy while accepting both the frustrating and pleasant events that come our way.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds us, 鈥淏e joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God鈥檚 will for you in Christ Jesus.鈥� Psalm 118:24,29 instructs us, 鈥淭his is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever.鈥�
Rejoicing and joy have everything to do with Jesus鈥檚 resurrection from the dead on Easter Sunday, proving Christ鈥檚 words, 鈥淚 am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.鈥� (John 11:25-26) We rejoice in Jesus鈥檚 victory over death. He assures us, 鈥淏ecause I live, you also will live.鈥� (John 14:19)
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