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"Joy Giver"
Matthew 8: 3 "And Jesus put
forth his hand, and touched him..."
I love to sing - such as my
singing is, and hear Bill Gaither's song: "He Touched Me." First of
all let me say, "I thank God for His healing touch in my life back in
1950 for salvation - for the healing touch of back problems, and others
through the years." Gaither's song also brings back memories of people
who have touched my life. My wife and son's commitment to help me as a
minister, sure touched my life. I thank God for their love expressed in
so many ways in action.
As I write this "Christmas
Comfort Zone" I am reminded that this coming Sunday (Dec. 17) will be
the third Sunday of Advent; and I would like for us to explore the idea
of becoming a "Joy Giver" - I mean, really. There are never enough "Joy
Givers. "Joy Givers" are among the most important, most helpful, most
healing people in all of life.
I will never forget a day some
twenty five years ago; I visited a woman in the local hospital, a member
of the church, who blasted me from the time I entered, and was still at
it when I left. She had been in the hospital three days, and I had not
visited her. I did not know she was in the hospital - she, I guess
thought I should have. After some 10/15 minutes, I turned to her
husband and asked if I might be excused - he said yes, and I walked
out. She later apologized. That day she was not a "Joy Giver."
Thank God for those who are
called to be "Joy Givers." Let me tell you about a lady - a "Joy Giver"
who touched many lives - a true story. Her name was Irene, and she
showed up at this church, not knowing why, except "I've learned over
the years that the Holy Spirit moves where and when and as He will."
She was saved - united with the church - became a very faithful
Christian witness - a "Joy Giver."
Not long after she was saved,
she had a massive heart attack - drifting back and forth - it seemed
between life and death. She did make a remarkable recovery, and threw
herself into living as a disciple of Jesus. Irene was first to give -
first to help in mission causes. Life, to her was a marvelous gift to
her, and she took great joy in sharing the gift with other.
Years passed, and Irene and
husband retired and moved to Maine, but she kept in touch with her
former pastor and family. One day her son called - "Mom has just
died." He was broken hearted. We wept for the joy of her life;
and as we left to go for the funeral, tears flower from our eyes. As
I backed out of the driveway that rainy day, something wonderful
happened. In the sadness of the moment, and in the midst of tears, the
clouds suddenly parted, and streams of sunlight broke through, and a
brilliant rainbow of many colors reached out from the clouds and
stretched to the roof of our house. And it struck me in a powerful way
that - in death as well as life - Irene was still doing her best, with
God, to touch our lives with joy.
You know, there is a
differance between happiness and joy. Happiness is what happens when we
are well. When you achieve some success, or reach some goal, or
acquire some desire. You feel happy.
But joy is different. Joy is
a gift God gives to those whose lives are out of sort. I challenge you
to go the second mile, to be a "Joy Giver" this Advent and Christmas
season, and it will bless you as others.
><))):> In
"HIS"
Service
Bro. Roy |