Sunday, December 17, 2017

Overwhelmed with Joy - in the midst of sorrow

Isaiah 55:1-13 & Matthew 1:1-12 by Rev. Susan Lukey
Series:Advent 2017

Overwhelmed with joy! That’s how the gospel describes the feeling of the wisemen, when the star guides them right to the house in Bethlehem where they find the child named Jesus. Overwhelmed with joy! Can you think of a moment in your life when you have felt overwhelmed with joy? It is not an every day thing. It is something extraordinary, something more than could be imagined. It is a moment when there is a smile on your face and tears running down your cheeks; a moment when all seems right with the world, even if chaos is all around you. It comes unexpectedly; it is never anticipated or planned or managed. It is a moment that takes your breath away. That’s what it is to be overwhelmed with joy. Our society speaks freely of happiness. Happiness can be an every day thing. I feel happy when I’ve accomplished some work or found an item (on sale!) that I had been searching for in the store. But joy is something so much more. Joy comes even in the midst of sorrow. Joy is not confined to times when life has gone perfectly or easily. In fact, joy often follows a time of challenge or struggle. That’s what it was for these wiseones.
Duration:10 mins 45 secs