DECEMBER 9 "DO YOU MIND IF I HAVE SOME JOY?"

I know that the Christian Life is not the perfect life. That if I expect my life to be ever so bliss because I’m a Christian is wrong. However, I still cannot get away from the scripture that continuously tells me, “my life should be blessed because I fear the Lord and obey him. So while I should make room in my theology or life, for hard times, I must also understand that it isn’t my lot in life to be miserable and beaten down. In both Psalms and Proverbs today we are told that “ how joyful are those who fear the Lord, how joyful and prosperous they will be, may you live to enjoy your grandchildren” then in Proverbs we read, “whoever obeys the law is joyful” it is almost a duplicate of what we read in Psalm 128. And so I get it, I get it, my life isn’t going to be perfect, I know, I’ve been told enough times, through radio talk shows to sermons, books and from friends. I got that part, it’s been made loud and clear. It’s almost the strategy they use in “sales”. Set expectations low and hope to produce high, like that nobody is disappointed. It’s almost like our Christian Community is using the same methodology with us. Let’s set our expectations low about this Christian life and if you so happen to have a good year, then all the better! The problem is as I continue to read my bible I am not getting the same message from God. Through the Word of God I believe God is telling us to set “expectations high!” God is telling us believe for the best, believe for a prosperous and blessed life. So why does everyone in Christianity want us to set our expectations low? Why are they so afraid we are going to be let down “by the Almighty?” Cannot I not believe God for a long, fruitful and prosperous life, can I not believe God to be able to be blessed and enjoy my grandchildren some day? “Well, brother you don’t want to get your hopes to high”, someone might say. And I say, “why not!” It is as if people are taking their personal experience as a Christian and redefining the Word of God through their experience. Instead of taking the Word of God and redefine their lives to conform to it, they do the opposite. They take the experience of their life and redefine the Word of God. Thence, my beaten down life, my losses, my lack of victories can only make me have to change the bible or look at it with a skeptical eye. It is not the bible that we should be looking at with a skeptical eye, but our own lives. As the Word of God says, “let God be true and every man a liar”. We will always paint ourselves in the best light. However, upon closer examination, we will find it is our lackluster performance that has caused many of God’s promises to fall the ground and rot. I understand trials may come, I know Jesus said, “behold in this world you will have tribulation” but Jesus also said, “BE OF GOOD CHEER, for I have overcome the world”. The life of a Christian is not doom and gloom, but at least I’m going to Heaven. And just as sinners have a taste of Hell here on earth, so should Christians have a taste of Heaven here on earth. If the agenda of the Christian Community you are surrounded by is also to set low expectations then you will have to consider why and what is going on because it simply is not what God wants us to do. According to our reading today He wants us to set and expect A Good Life, A Blessed Life, A Prosperous Life and to dumb down or water down or lessen any of God’s promises to accommodate or validate or excuse our lack luster Christian experience is wrong.

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