Invitation to Rejoice

One morning I was sitting around the kitchen table with my children doing math. I was working with my oldest son, Boston, when my daughter, Alexis, took my attention from him with a question. The minute I turned back to him he was gone; he was taking advantage of my moment of distraction. I called his name and told him I was ready to continue math, but he didn’t answer. Alexis said, “Mom he is in the living room.” So a little louder I called for him. As soon as I was done saying his name, directly behind me there was a loud “boo!” I jumped and screamed. Boston and Alexis were laughing so hard they were crying. They were so happy and their laugh was catchy. Once my heart found its way back to my chest I too began to laugh. Alexis stopped looked me right in the face, smiled and said, “Mom it is so good to see you laugh it has been awhile.”

Later in the week I was doing a Bible study on Romans that took me back to that moment when Alexis looked me in the eye. Here is what it said:

“C.S. Lewis wrote, ‘Joy is the serious business of heaven.’ Perhaps you’re living at such a frantic pace, so absorbed in your own life and problems that you’re missing God’s daily invitations to rejoice. This week watch for those invitations, and when they come, slow down long enough to experience God’s gift of joy.” (Romans: Becoming New in Christ, By John Kuhatschek)

In that moment with Boston and Alexis I had taken the time to slow down and rejoice in the gift of their laughter by joining them. By accepting that invitation to rejoice it brought my kids and myself joy. What a beautiful gift and I wasn’t even looking for it.

“1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, wea have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And web rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but wec also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:1-5

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to watch this week for your invitations to rejoice and when I recognize them remind me to slow down and experience them. You are such an awesome Father who loves and cares for me. You give me so much to rejoice in; I do not want to fail to notice because I am absorbed by my own problems. Open my eyes. You know what I need and when I need it. I will rejoice in you, your love, protection, and mercy.