Choose JoySample

DAY 3 – BURNING HEARTS

Reflection: Choosing joy is not the same as faking a laugh. It’s not putting on a brave face, smiling grimly, and saying ‘praise the Lord’. We might have reason to do that sometimes, but it’s not the way to a joy-strengthened life.

Yesterday, we read that Jesus endured the pain and shame of the cross for the joy set before him. This was not fun for him; there’s no record of him smiling or joking. Instead, deep unbidden joy was like an anchor pulling him forward in God’s purpose.

Today we read about two of Jesus' disciples, walking home after the crucifixion, when the risen Jesus, unrecognised by them, joins their journey. They tell him ‘we had hoped’ (Luke 24:21 NIV) – their hope was 'past tense’ because Jesus has died and they don’t know what’s become of him.

Most of us carry ‘past tense’ hope in our hearts, caused by disappointment, loss, hurt, rejection, abuse, failure, sin. We can’t just pretend it away. Neither could these two disciples, walking to Emmaus.

But when Jesus began speaking with them, particularly when he ‘opened the Scriptures’, something changed in their hearts. Without asking for it or trying to make it happen, their hearts burned with new life, new hope, and we’d suggest, a new anchor of joy.

Choose joy: Choosing to engage with the Scriptures – the Bible – is an authentic way to choose a joy-strengthened life. Stop faking happy, and start reading the Scriptures that still cause hearts to burn today. Ask Jesus by his Spirit to open them to you.