Dr. Billy Graham is the about only person I can think of in my lifetime whom I can never remember hearing anything negative or bad about.
I tried to think of others who had such a stellar life in front of the public and I could not think of anyone who could stand alongside Billy Graham, other than George Beverly Shea, perhaps.
If for no other reason, you can see God’s hand upon Billy Graham. The media today is built to find the downside of everyone. If they cannot dig something up from your past, they create something. Yet, no one was ever able to fabricate anything on Dr. Graham.
Isn’t it great when all of our memories of someone are happy ones? The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:3-5 says, “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Paul begins this passage stating that every memory he has of the Philippian church is a good memory. He is thankful for these memories.
The Joy of the Christian Journey is what Paul is speaking of. He is full of gratitude, very grateful for the believers in Philippi. What Paul is saying is no matter what, when I think of you I only have wonderful memories. There have been no bad experiences. Wouldn’t you like to have all your relationships like this? This, I believe, is the mark of Christian joy.
It is with joy that Paul prays for his friends at Philippi. Do you pray with joy for others in your church, or do you consider it a task or obligation? We should take a lesson from Paul and pray for each other with joy. It should be with joy that we lift the name of others to the mercy seat of God.
What greater thing could you do for someone than to ask God to be with that person, and to give that person a great blessing?
With the acceptance of joy comes sacrifice. In life whenever we desire something it normally requires some type of sacrifice, does it not? If you want a new set of golf clubs, or a pair of jeans, you must take your hard-earned money and sacrifice some of it for that desired purchase.
Valuable time is given and sacrificed for you to have a clean house, and fresh, clean clothes to wear, not to mention a good hot meal. Someone has had to sacrifice for you to enjoy these things.
The same is true with our Christian life. For the true joy of the Christian life, sacrifices must be made. In verse 6 Paul says, I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
If you and I can grow to experience the joy of the Christian journey, and truly pray for one another in joy, it will not be a difficult task to experience the Christian sacrifice for others and for Christ. This will draw us into a closer partnership with one another serving the God who gave us breath, life, and life eternal.
There is JOY in the Journey.
George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.