A Kite Named Joy

I shared a cute story about a kite named Joy on Sunday morning. Let me recap the story. There was a kite whose name was Joy. Joy loved the freedom of flying. He loved to fly high into the sky. Catch the updrafts and go higher into the blue, blue sky. When the down-wind came, it was like riding a roller coaster and he would giggle and laugh uncontrollably. He loved the freedom of flying. He loved seeing the puffy white clouds against the blue background of God’s beautiful sky. He enjoyed listening to the birds that sang high in the trees. He loved flying.

There was one thing that Joy did not like and that was that he wasn’t totally free because when he got too far away, he felt a tug on his tail and when that one below got tired of flying Joy, the little boy would reel the string in and Joy knew that his fun would soon be over. If only he could be free of the tug of the tired little boy so that he could fly higher, higher into the sky.

One day, much to his surprise, while flying into the blue sky, the tautness of the string broke loose and Joy realized that he was free, free to drift along the wind currents. He laughed and giggled when the updrafts took him higher into the sky. He screamed when the down winds pushed him closer to the earth below.  He realized he was free! No rules! No responsibility! He was free from the little boy who held his tail tightly in his clinched little fists, but within minutes his laughter turned to sorrow and what was once shouts of joy became cries of despair for Joy found himself hopelessly entangled in the branches of a tree and he knew that his life would never again be the same.

How often doesn’t this happen to us. We think that things are going really well and then suddenly the circumstances of our life change and we become hopelessly entangled in life’s gnarly branches. With Joy our cry sounds like the Psalmist, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!” (Psalm 130:1-2) When we find ourselves in such a situation, the Lord will hear our voice and as Jesus once said, “…I will send an advocate, I will not leave your orphaned – alone” tangled in the gnarly branches of life. So when you find your life tangled in the unforgivable branches of living, we have an advocate – a counselor – one who will not leave us in the clutches of death, but will set us free to experience joy and when it seems we are forever lost, God will show us a new way.

Prayer:

             God you hear my cry! You surround me with your strong and mighty arms – the arms of grace that bring us close to you. When I am anxious and troubled, when life seems hopeless and meaningless, help me to trust you and show me a new way. Amen.

A Better Message

We get the message. The subliminal messages of the media makes it pretty clear to us what our society expects and prefers.   You are familiar with its message -- we have to be fit, bubbly, and sexy. Movie after movie, television show after television show gives us the message that good looks, a winning smile, and a bubbly personality will serve us well. We’ll find good jobs, good mates, and happy families. We get the message. It’s loud and clear. If we have these things, life will be good, but what if we don’t meet these expectations? Then who am I? 

At a recent worship service, we were blessed with the lyrics from the Christian song, “Come as you are” by a Christian group that calls themselves, A Pocket Full of Rocks. The lyrics of this song gives us a different message, a message that may leave us feeling differently about ourselves than the messages we’ve gleaned from the media that surrounds us day after day. Here are the opening lyrics to this “Come as you are”.

 

He's not mad at you
He's not disappointed
His grace is greater still,
than all of your wrong choices
He is full of mercy and he is ever kind
Hear his invitation, His arms are open wide

This song reminds me of a Psalm that has helped me through more difficult times.  The times when we've felt unworthy, imperfect, or alone. This psalm speaks to us when we have been bullied or scorned or the times that we've been overlooked or ignored. The times when a best friend hurts us with words or actions or those times when we're so confused, and we don’t know where to turn to find a warm embrace, a word of love or the voice that says to us do not worry for you will not have to make this journey alone. The words from Psalm 139 hold me close to God when the rest of the world seems to be pushing me away. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14. 

I am fearfully and wonderfully made…I know this full well. The message is clear. May we find strength and peace in knowing how much God has carefully, thoughtfully, and lovingly created our very being and may we hear this message above else. 

Prayer:

                God I am fearfully and wonderfully made! You created all of me and you love me for all that I am. Today, my spirit will sing to your glory for your arms are open wide and you welcome me into this new day. Amen.