Part of the Package Deal

Once upon a time, there was a man who longed to travel the seas on a large ocean liner. He saved and saved his whole life. Finally, he had enough for a ticket, but after paying his fare and other fees he didn’t have enough to pay for the luxurious meals he’d heard were served aboard such ships. So, he decided to be grateful for the opportunity to simply be aboard such a cruise ship, and he took what he had and bought a box of crackers and some cheese to eat in his stateroom. On the final night at sea, he scraped together what money he had left, hoping it would be enough to buy just one meal, and he headed for the dining hall. When he got there, imagine his surprise when told they’d been holding his seat all week—the meals were included in the price of the ticket!

 Likewise, joy is included in the price of your ticket on your Christian journey. Now, of course, with the Coronavirus upending all of our lives, I’m not saying we need to be bubbly all the time, and pretend nothing is wrong --- but joy can still be a part of our lives. I’m talking about having an undercurrent of life that uplifts even in the toughest of times. It is a glass half-full view of things, because we know that God never abandons those who call on His name. It is the knowledge that if we hold on to our faith through the darkest of times, joy comes at daybreak and daybreak always comes.

 I am a list-maker, task oriented, get-her-done, “you have fun after the work is done” kind of girl. It is how I am wired. Yet, friends can always find me in a crowded room because of my laugh. I don’t consider myself a funny person, but I am joy-filled. It’s not because life is always fun, but I do see life differently. Some call the way I see life as hope-filled, while some call me unrealistic. But who gets to decide what is realistic?

 If you are missing joy in your life and you haven’t made Jesus Lord of your life, it is an easy thing to do. Just ask Jesus if he’ll come be your live-in companion. And yes, he wants you to ask for forgiveness and when you do, the process of replacing those ugly things with joy will begin.

 If you are a Christian and are missing out, ask God to show you to the table He’s reserved for you from the time you asked him to be Lord of your life. A seat at His banquet table was included in the package, but often we miss that part of the invitation. Yes, you get to enjoy eternity in heaven, and for many that was the main reason they accepted salvation. However, there was more to the deal than just that–joy was also part of that deal. Eat your fill and then come back for more!

 Every day ask God to give you a little more joy than the day before, but don’t be surprised if he shows you some foods you’ve been snacking on that are causing indigestion–you may need to stop nibbling on gossip or gobbling negative words. When you replace these empty calories with the wonderful food from God’s table—words that are uplifting, true, and full of joy—soon you will find you have laughter in your day, regardless of what our world deals with next. Then, before you know it, you, too, will be accused of seeing things through rose colored glasses. It won’t be because things have changed, but you will have changed–from the inside out. It’s all a part of the package deal.

 Questions:

 Have you missed the part of salvation that included a seat at the banquet? What food are you eating–gossip and negative words or those thoughts that are uplifting, true, and joy-filled?

 Do you consider yourself realistic? What or Who determines what is realistic for you? Is it an insult or a compliment to be accused of wearing rose-colored glasses?

 What can you do today to eat from His banquet table instead of the negative news or thoughts that invade your life from every corner?