INSPIRASUNS

Last night I was reading in my little red book, “The Practice of Religion”, which I’ve shared about before here in this little blog. It’s a wonderful book filled with prayers and small services to get you through all manner of life. I read evening prayer almost every night from it. Last night, though, I went to the very last page of the book. I was looking for the index. I wanted to zero in on Christmas-specific readings.

I didn’t find an index in the back of the book; instead, the final section of the book is devoted to “The need for the rule of life”. The author gives final thoughts on various aspects of our worship of God. For instance, daily prayers, fasting, doing good works, manners and morals, etc., are covered in the section. The very last paragraph in the book is labeled “True Joy”.

I read that last paragraph and the final poem that accompanies it several times last night. I think Father took me to the last page for a reason. It’s appropriate at this time of year when the focus is on gifts. We have the only gift we need, the gift of our Lord.

This morning, friends, I share what I read last night and hope that you, too, come to realize that the Lord, well, he is all that we need.

“True Joy” from The Practice of Religion.
God wills us to be happy, but happy in the things of God more than in those of the world. True Joy comes in pleasing God, not self. Live for self and happiness is never found, for all the lavish gifts of the world. Live for God, and true joy is found, in trouble and trial, in sickness and sorrow, as well as in joy, peace, and prosperity. Without God, nothing is really worthwhile. With God, nothing else is necessary, yet all that God sends is welcome. He who has True Joy in God is always thankful. For as Saint Augustine wrote, “When God gives earthly blessings, give thanks; when God takes away earthly blessings, give thanks; for it is God who gives and God who takes away, but God never takes Himself away from one who gives thanks”.

The Lord preserve thy going out,
The Lord preserve thy coming in.
God send His angels round about
To keep thy soul from every sin;
And when thy going out is done,
And when thy coming in is o’er,
When in death’s darkness all alone,
Thy feet can come and go no more,
The Lord preserve thy going out
From this dark world of grief and sin,
While angels standing round about,
Sing, ‘God preserve thy coming in.’

Have a good day, friends, may you find True Joy this season. Give thanks for the most precious gift of all, the baby Jesus, and know that He is the gift that keeps on giving 🙂 .

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.