The Heart Knows All Is Well
There are few things in this life that evoke the same emotions I feel when I look upon a sleeping baby, especially when I looked upon my own sleeping infants.
My heart bounces between a calm that has never been matched on this earth and a joy so intense that I almost tremble inside.
How can I possibly feel joy so intense that I tremble, yet at the same time experience a calmness within the soul that even the ebbs and flows of the ocean tide can't match? Aside from God, I just can't explain it.
But I think the shepherds out in the fields knew exactly what I am talking about.
My heart bounces between a calm that has never been matched on this earth and a joy so intense that I almost tremble inside.
How can I possibly feel joy so intense that I tremble, yet at the same time experience a calmness within the soul that even the ebbs and flows of the ocean tide can't match? Aside from God, I just can't explain it.
But I think the shepherds out in the fields knew exactly what I am talking about.
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people -- Luke 2:10
A great joy.
Not the joy like I had always thought. All this time I have read past this word and imagined it to be an exceeding happiness that should make us giddy, and that's not necessarily wrong, but what I read this year about this word joy meant more to me. Actually, I noticed two things.
First, the word joy. Joy comes from chara and the meaning that jumped out so strongly to me was "a calm delight".
The only thing I can think of ever experiencing that was truly a calm delight was watching my precious girls as they slept.
Moments when you just breathe deep, exhale, and your heart smiles.
A complete relaxation in the soul.
Moments you know that all is well.
Secondly, I never noticed something very small in this verse, the smallest of words in our language, "a".
Not the joy like I had always thought. All this time I have read past this word and imagined it to be an exceeding happiness that should make us giddy, and that's not necessarily wrong, but what I read this year about this word joy meant more to me. Actually, I noticed two things.
First, the word joy. Joy comes from chara and the meaning that jumped out so strongly to me was "a calm delight".
The only thing I can think of ever experiencing that was truly a calm delight was watching my precious girls as they slept.
Moments when you just breathe deep, exhale, and your heart smiles.
A complete relaxation in the soul.
Moments you know that all is well.
Secondly, I never noticed something very small in this verse, the smallest of words in our language, "a".
I bring you good news of a great joy.
That tiny word "a" changes everything for me. "A" takes this from a mere emotion to a thing. What was that thing?
Jesus.
A Great Joy.
The Great Joy.
A Calm Delight.
Jesus.
A Great Joy.
The Great Joy.
A Calm Delight.
which shall be for all the people.
A Calm Delight, not just for me. Not just for you. For ALL the people.
I can breathe deep, exhale, and my heart smiles.
A complete relaxation in my soul.
And the heart knows all is well.
Your 13th gift this December to Remember - a calm delight. The Calm Delight.
There is no other emotion I experience that compares to calm delight. I have often asked things like "How can anyone look at a sleeping baby and doubt that God exists?" It is calm delight that drives me to that question. You gave me those emotions and when they surface, they draw me directly to You and your work. God, how can You be so marvelous? How can You be so good to give us experiences like this and then still offer more. More in that your Son is our calm delight.
I can breathe deep, exhale, and my heart smiles.
A complete relaxation in my soul.
And the heart knows all is well.
Your 13th gift this December to Remember - a calm delight. The Calm Delight.
There is no other emotion I experience that compares to calm delight. I have often asked things like "How can anyone look at a sleeping baby and doubt that God exists?" It is calm delight that drives me to that question. You gave me those emotions and when they surface, they draw me directly to You and your work. God, how can You be so marvelous? How can You be so good to give us experiences like this and then still offer more. More in that your Son is our calm delight.
