Joy-Filled Moments, Past or Present

C.H.’s abridged list of joy-filled days:

• On Sunday, I celebrated my 47^th birthday; that was a joy-filled day.
• The adoption days of my two younger children were joy-filled days.
• The birth of my oldest daughter was a joy-filled day.
• The day I married Anne was a joy-filled day.

Some joy-filled moments were from my childhood:

• When got my diploma from Jr. High school, that was a joy-filled moment.
• When I lost my first tooth in kindergarten, that was a joy-filled moment, or on second thought maybe it wasn’t. I think I was actually scared by that event, but receiving those two quarters from the tooth fairy was a joy-filled moment for sure.
• When I got straight A’s my junior year of high school, when I learned to ride a two-wheeler, when I first drove my dad’s car, all these provided moments of great joy.

But when I remember that I am a sinner, saved by grace, forgiven for all my failures, and made clean by the blood of Jesus something happens, something unexplainable. When I contemplate grace my list of past joy-filled moments shrinks into insignificance, and my heart bursts open with a present sense of joy.  The joy of salvation isn’t about a memory or something from a time long ago.  No, the joy that grace delivers is always fresh, living in the present, here with me right now.  It is a joy from Jesus and it is available to all who ask.

Live Easter’s joy everyday.

Psalm 92:4 NLT   You thrill me, LORD, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.

I’m writing today as a contributor to the Christian Writers Blog Chain. Our theme for this month is “Joy.” Christianwriters.com is an excellent place to network if you’re a Christian writer or author. Please visit these other members:

• 4/1: Brian Jones, Andeluvia
• 4/2: Debra Ann Elliott, Words are Timeless
• 4/3: CH Dyer, Thoughts and Visions
• 4/4: Steve Olar, Snickerdoodles
• 4/5: Lynn Mosher, Heading Home
• 4/6: Bill Jones, I Was Thinking the Other Day About
• 4/7: Cindee Snider Re, Breathe Deeply
• 4/8: Terrie Thorpe, Light for the Journey
• 4/9: Adam Collings, The Collings Zone
• 4/10: Keith Wallis, wordsculptures
• 4/11: Victor Travison, Lightwalker’s View
• 4/12: Pegg Thomas, The Sheepish Scribe
• 4/13: Nona King, Spirit Driven Fiction
• 4/14: Scott Fields, Dead Man Writing
• 4/15: Pauline Creeden, Hosanna’s Christian Reader
• 4/16: Kristena Tunstall, Mommy’s Angel In Heaven
• 4/17: Mike Johnson, The College Field Manual
• 4/18: Carol Peterson, From Carol’s Quill
• 4/19: Chris Vonada, I’m Just Thinkin’
• 4/20: Edward Lewis, Sowing the Seeds
• 4/21: Deborah K. Anderson, Faith, Fiction, and Unvarnished Truth
• 4/23: Nona King, Word Obsession
• 4/24: SandiGrace, Heart Gazer
• 4/25: SandyKC, The Everyday Christian
• 4/26: Tracy Krauss, Expression Express
• 4/27: Traci Bonney, Tracings
• 4/28: Jacky Brown, JayBees Blog
• 4/29: Stephanie Boles, 80 Acres and a Book
• 4/30: Joseph Lalonde, Joseph Lalonde