Confidence
and Joy
Fr.
Tony’s Midweek Message July 6, 2016
The
bright sun of Ashland this time of year gives my heart a lift. The blue skies and the cool mountains in the
distance for me take away any oppressiveness the summer heat might bring. It’s all a sign of God’s warmth and love for
us, I think.
Yesterday,
the epistle reading for Morning Prayer, from the Book of Romans, spoke to
me. A regular reading in hospital
visitations and last rites, it is all about joy and confidence. Here it is in Eugene Peterson’s
translation:
“So, what do you think? With God on our side
like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the
line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by
sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do
for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen?
Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised
to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for
us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and
Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred,
not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even
the worst sins listed in Scripture:
“They kill us in cold blood because they
hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
“None of this fazes us
because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or
dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or
unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because
of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (Romans 8:31-38, The Message).
Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit, and
comes unbidden simply as part of enjoying God’s loving presence, no matter what
might be challenging us at the moment.
As Paul says elsewhere, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
Grace and peace,
Fr. Tony+
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