Gladness

Scripture:
"You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as when men rejoice when they divide the spoil." Isaiah 9:3

Observation:
Brandy and I watched the movie Fools Gold last night. The movie is about a treasure hunt. At the end, they find the treasure and it is placed in a museum. As the movie closes, a camera is showing all the different display cases. One of the display cases shows pictures of all the crew as they are loading the treasure onto the boat. They are all draped in jewelry of gold and rare gems. Their faces are radiating. As they sort through the spoil, they realize that all their dreams have come true. That is the imagery I see in this passage. That is the gladness that was promised to those of us who come to God through the new covenant given in Jesus Christ.

Application:
There are many factors used to determine my standing with God. Rituals, do's, don'ts and other components of religion can become confusing at times and doubt can creep in as I try to assess how well I am doing. This scripture reminds me of one of the basic fruits promised from God; gladness.

I have spent a great deal of time in church and I can honestly say that gladness is not the overwhelming expression I have noticed on the faces of people. If I try to assess the reputation of Christians from the world's perspective, I would say that we are not known for our gladness. As Jesus' ministry is documented in the scripture there are many famous encounters captured. One of these is Jesus cleaning out the temple. He turns over tables as He cracks his handmade whip and runs out the corruption. As I reflect on this story I am reminded of the fact that this is one of the very few scenes where we see Jesus behave this way. In fact, it was out of character for Him.

As I compare that to what the church has become today I am concerned that we are more known as temple cleaners than we are known to reflect God's gladness and promises of peace. His gladness should permeate every aspect of my life. His peace should be reflected in my actions. Rare should be the occasion for me to lash out.

But I feel pressed at times from many organizations to boycott or speak out against things. There is a time and place for that, but I have not seen much benefit from the conversations that surround hot button issues such as the content on tv, abortion, freedom of speech, or prayer in school. I do care about these things. I hate the fact that I have to monitor the cartoon network for content before my kids watch it. Abortion breaks my heart. Freedom of speech has become a sanctuary for filth. Schools have become agnostic. But there is an overwhelming sense in me that if Christians rediscover the joy and gladness of Christ, the world will see a compelling option to the things they turn to in their search for gladness.

Prayer:
I have a desire rising up inside of me that is resonating deep inside of my soul. I want to return to Your gladness. The pressures of life can become overwhelming. The sin of the world is both alluring and sickening at the same time. I could spend all day, everyday, for the rest of my life campaigning against what is wrong and struggling to stay pure. I have in fact done this. But I am tired of all the endless debates and battles. My focus is shifting. My prayers are changing. Now more than ever I pray that You guide Your church to clearly reflect the goodness of Your will. The gladness of Your heart. I pray that we see Your Word and presence for what they are, a treasure beyond compare. Something worth risking everything to pursue. Happiness beyond compare. I pray that You start a new movement. One that leads us back to You. One that will allow us to carry a true representation of Your good news to the lost world. Help us to once again become light to the dark world.