By Pastor Don Schatz

Our Natural Tendency

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud Link

“…Hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

I Timothy 6:17b New International Version

There is a play on words that you can’t get in this quote.  In the first part of the verse, Paul tells Timothy to warn rich Christians in his flock not to put their trust in their wealth.  Instead, they should “hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

It is a natural tendency for a kitten to play with almost anything.  It finds great enjoyment in hopping into a basket and attacking the paper it finds therein.  God seems to have designed kittens that way, and not a few adult cats as well.  If a kitten is gloomy, something is wrong.

Oh, if only that were true of us Christians!  Too often, Christians espouse ‘doom and gloom’ as though it were a Merit Badge adorning a proudly worn sash across the chest.  I want to suggest that it can be the natural tendency for Christians to be glad for everything, as Paul says, that God has given for our enjoyment.  God wants us to be happy.  He wants us to enjoy life!

Jesus said something quite similar to that.  “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).  Jesus said that to his disciples on the night of his betrayal.  In the midst of that ‘doom and gloom’ night, Jesus spoke of joy.  His joy.  His joy in us.  Our joy.  Our joy complete.  The sense of that word ‘complete’ is that the work is done, it is fulfilled, and we are filled with joy.

This is not ‘pie in the sky’.  It’s not spiritual naivete.    It is spiritual wisdom.  It is God’s will and work for and in us.  Through Jesus.  Our natural tendency is joy.  Today, sing ‘Joy to the World’ at the top of your lungs.  Emphasize the joy.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado