Sunday Schoolism #34: Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.

II Corinthians 6:10

Sorrow was beautiful, but his beauty was the beauty of the moonlight shining through the leafy branches of the trees in the woods. His gentle light made little pools of silver here and there on the soft green moss of the forest floor. And when he sang, his song was like the low, sweet calls of the nightingale, and in his eyes was the unexpectant gaze of someone who has ceased to look for coming gladness. He could weep in tender sympathy with those who weep, but to rejoice with those who rejoice was unknown to him.

Joy was beautiful, too, but hers was the radiant beauty of a summer morning. Her eyes still held the happy laughter of childhood, and her hair glistened with the sunshine's kiss. When she sang, her voice soared upward like a skylark's, and her steps were the march of the conqueror who has never known defeat. She could rejoice with anyone who rejoices, but to weep with those who weep was unknown to her.

Sorrow longingly said, "We can never be united as one." 

"No, never," responded Joy, with eyes misting as she spoke, "for my path lies through the sunlit meadows, the sweetest roses bloom when I arrive, and songbirds await my coming to sing their most joyous melodies."

"Yes, and my path," said Sorrow, turning slowly away, "leads through the dark forest, and moonflowers, which open only at night, will fill my hands. Yet the sweetest of all earthly songs-the love song of the night, will be mine. So farewell, dear Joy, farewell."

Yet even as Sorrow spoke, he and Joy became aware of someone standing beside them. In spite of the dim light, they sensed a kingly Presence, and suddenly a great and holy awe overwhelmed them. They then sank to the knees before Him.

"I see Him as the King of Joy," whispered Sorrow, "for on His head are many crowns, and the nailprints in His hands are feet are scars of a great victory. And before Him all my sorrow is melting away into deathless love and gladness. I now give myself to Him forever."

"No, Sorrow," said Joy softly, "for I see Him as the King of Sorrow, and the crown on His head is a crown of thorns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of terrible agony. I also give myself to Him forever, for sorrow with Him must be sweeter than any joy I have ever known."

"Then we are one in Him," they cried in gladness, "for no one but He could unite Joy and Sorrow."

Therefore they walked hand in hand into the world, to follow Him through storms and sunshine, through winter's severe cold and the warmth of summer's gladness, and to be "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing."

Streams In The Desert

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday Schoolism #33:Seeing is Believing?

The world says 'seeing is believing', but God wants us to believe in order to see.

 

The psalmist said, "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Ps. 27:13 NASB).

                                                                                                                      Streams in the Desert 

Sunday Schoolism #32: Properly Prepared

Since God knows the niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. And since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to grind us so we will be properly prepared.

He made me into a polished arrow. 

Isaiah 49:2

                                                                                       L. B. Cowman

                                                                                                  Streams In The Desert

Sunday Schoolism #31: The Brink of Rebellion

Thank Me for the very things that are troubling you. You are on the brink of rebellion, precariously close to shaking your fist in My face. You are tempted to indulge in just a little complaining about My treatment of you. But once you step over that line, torrents of rage and self-pity can sweep you away. The best protection against this indulgence is thanksgiving. It is impossible to thank Me and curse Me at the same time.

Thanking Me for trials will feel awkward and contrived at first. But as you persist, your thankful words, prayed in faith, will eventually make a difference in your heart. Thankfulness awakens you to My Presence, which overshadows all your problems.

Psalm 116:17, Philippians 4:4-6, Psalm 100:2

Sarah Young

Jesus Calling

Sunday Schoolism #30: Every Prayer

Every prayer of the Christian, whether for temporal or spiritual blessings, will be fully answered if it meets certain biblical requirements. It must be prayed in faith and in accordance to God's will. It must rely on God's promise, be offered up in the name of Jesus Christ, and be prayed under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

                                                                             Charles H. Spurgeon

Sunday Schoolism #29: The Only Road

...faith is the only road between my soul and heaven.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Sunday Schoolism #28: There Is A God

Father Cavanaugh, in the 1993 movie Rudy, made a statement that deserves repetition: "Son, in thirty-five years of religious study, I've come up with only two hard, incontrovertible facts: there is a God, and I'm not Him" (Pizzo 1993). The reason I think this bears repeating is that it seems to me as I read the Bible that the great crime of humanity from the garden until today is that we always find some way to move ourselves into the center of our own universe. We make ourselves the ultimate judges of moral "good", the great lovers of our own souls, the beings to whom all resources should come. Indeed, the very heartbeat of fallen humanity is to remake God into our image, rather than to allow him to remake us into his.

                                                                                    Sandra Ritcher
                                                                                    The Epic of Eden: Isaiah

Sunday Schoolism #27: Interrupted

We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God, who will thwart our plans and frustrate our ways time and again, even daily, by sending people across our path with their demands and requests. We can, then, pass them by, preoccupied with our important daily tasks, just as the priest-perhaps reading the Bible-passed by the man who had fallen among robbers. When we do that, we pass by the visible sign of the Cross raised in our lives to show us that God’s way, and not our own, is what counts.

                                                 Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Sunday Schoolism #26: Who Are You Listening To?

How often do we let our fears dictate our behavior? In our heads we know that God is in control, but our circumstances are shouting so loudly we can't always hear the voice of truth. Who are you listening to today? Your fears or your God?

                                                                                                              Sandra L. Richter

                                                                                                              Epic of Eden, Isaiah

I lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber;

Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life;

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

(Psalm 121)

Sunday Schoolism #25: Find Me

Approach each new day with desire to find Me. Before you get out of bed, I have already been working to prepare the path that will get you through this day. There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way. Some of the treasures are trials, designed to shake you free from earth's shackles. Others are blessings that reveal My Presence: sunshine, flowers, birds, friendships, answered prayer. I have not abandoned this sin-wracked world; I am still richly present in it.

Search for deep treasure as you go through this day. You will find Me all along the way.

                                                                                    Sarah Young

                                                                                    Jesus Calling

Sunday Schoolisms #24: Don't Be Afraid

Trust Me, and don't be afraid. Many things feel out of control. Your routines are not running smoothly. You tend to feel more secure when your life is predictable. Let Me lead you to the rock that is higher than you and your circumstances. Take refuge in the shelter of My wings, where you are absolutely secure.

When you are shaken out of your comfortable routines, grip My hand tightly and look for growth opportunities. Instead of bemoaning the loss of your comfort, accept the challenge of something new. I lead you on from glory to glory, making you fit for My kingdom. Say yes to the ways I work in your life. Trust Me, and don't be afraid.

                                                                                                    Jesus Calling

                                                                                                    Sarah Young

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid...

(Isaiah 12:2)

From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint;

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

(Psalm 61:2)

Sunday Schoolisms #23: Stay Where You Are

When I give you no special guidance, stay where you are. Concentrate on doing your everyday tasks in awareness of My Presence with you. The Joy of My Presence will shine on you, as you do everything for Me. Thus you invite Me into every aspect of your life. Through collaborating with Me in all things, you allow My Life to merge with yours. This is the secret of not only joyful living but victorious living. I designed you to depend on Me moment by moment, recognizing that apart from Me you can do nothing.

Be thankful for quiet days, when nothing special seems to be happening. Instead of being bored by the lack of action, use times of routine to seek My Face. Although this is an invisible transaction, it speaks volumes in spiritual realms. Moreover, you are richly blessed when you walk trustingly with Me through the routines of your day.

                              

                                                                                         Jesus Calling

                                                                                         Sarah Young

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men

 (Colossians 3:23)

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

(Psalm 15:5)

Sunday Schoolism #22: Concerns

Leave all your concerns in the hands of  a gracious God.

Charles H. Spurgeon

Sunday Schoolism #21: Overture

The following lyrics are written by Matthew Clark for the song Overture on his album Bright Came the Word form His Mouth. This album was written to accompany the Bible study The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament by Dr. Sandra Richter(PhD, Harvard University), professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=overture+by+matthew+clark+site%3ayoutube.com&view=detail&mid=3958021857C09A6F1C7E3958021857C09A6F1C7E&FORM=VIRE

Overture

  CHORUS

Gather all you who will, hear of the God, slain for his children's sin

Come the story recall, all he has done to bring his family home

The overflowing holy heart, of God begat a world of good

Adam's treason echoes still, lay the children in the ground

Waves of sin rose high and wide, Noah listened through the noise

A voice like many waters surged, Up through death will come new birth

CHORUS

Abram held the promise close, Raised the blade above his head

A son will surely give his life, Know the promise breaks the knife

By now Egypt like a grave, Held a captive people slaves

Moses thru the waters walked, And God made Israel his own

CHORUS

Israel a son enthroned, David sang I'm just a man

The only king who'll win this war, Is crowned above the cherubim

The virgin mother out of breath, Birthed the Word who dwelt in flesh

Mercy showed the world a face, Jesus punished in our place

CHORUS

Let His song fill the skies, Eden's reprise, God and man home again

Gather all you who will, Hear of the God, slain for his children's sins

Come the story recall, all he has done, to bring his family home again

Sunday Schoolism #20: Olive Tree

Many years ago there was a monk who needed olive oil, so he planted an olive tree sapling. After he finished planting it, he prayed, "Lord, my tree needs rain so that its tender roots my drink and grow. Send gentle showers." And the Lord sent gentle showers. Then the monk prayed, "Lord, my tree needs sun. Please send it sun." And the sun shone, gilding the once-dripping clouds. "Now send frost, dear Lord, to strengthen its branches," cried the monk. And soon the little tree was covered in sparkling frost, but by evening it had died.

Then the monk sought out a brother monk in his cell and told him of his strange experience. After hearing the story, the other monk said, "I also have planted a little tree. See how it is thriving! But I entrust my tree to its God. He who made it knows better than a man like me what it needs. I gave God no constraints or conditions, except to pray, "Lord, send what it needs-whether that be a storm or sunshine, wind, rain, or frost. You made it, and you know best what it needs.

                                                                                              March 29,  Streams in the Desert

Sunday Schoolism #19: Typeset

These pains and troubles here are like the type that printers set. We look at them, we see them backwards, and they seem to make no sense and have no meaning. But up there, when the Lord God prints out your life to come, we will find they make splendid reading."

-Martin Luther,

as he lay on his deathbed

Sunday Schoolism #18: One Book

I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God: just hovering over the great gulf; till, a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity!

I want to know one thing-the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach me the way. For this very end He came from heaven.

He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be a man of one book.

                                                                             John Wesley, in the preface to his sermons

Sunday Schoolisms #17: The Happiness Which Brings Enduring Worth

“The happiness which brings enduring worth to life is not the superficial happiness that is dependent on circumstances. It is the happiness and contentment that fills the soul even in the midst of the most distressing circumstances and the most bitter environment. It is the kind of happiness that grins when things go wrong and smiles through the tears. The happiness for which our souls ache is one undisturbed by success or failure, one which will deeply root inside us and give us inward relaxation, peace, and contentment, no matter what the surface problems may be. That kind of happiness stands in need of no outward stimulus.”
                                                                                              ― Billy Graham

Sunday Schoolisms #16: Abundant Life

God's promise of an abundant life is not a life where we have more material goods than others or a longer life than others.  It is living in a way that what we have is enough.  Perhaps our enough is what we discover in community when we are fighting for the rights and dignity of ourselves and others.  Perhaps our enough is the realization that we have time and resources and talents to share with those who need what we have.  Perhaps our enough is learning to forgive ourselves for the past and to have the courage to unchain ourselves from those who cannot forgive us.

The assurance of God's love for us and for all people is enough and more than enough!  With the blessings we receive from living a life in obedience to the demands of God's justice, we are freed from the bottomless desire for more that threatens to enslave us all at one time or another, this bottomless desire that can spur us to act unjustly.

                                                                                                   Sarah McGivern

                                                                                                    Adult Bible Studies

                                                                                                    Uniform Series                           

Sunday Schoolisms # 15: Grow In Grace

When someone mistreats you, try to view it as an opportunity to grow in grace. See how quickly you can forgive the one who has wounded you. Don't be concerned with setting the record straight. Instead of obsessing about other people's opinions of you, keep your focus on Me. Ultimately, it is My view of you that counts.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.    -Colossians 3:13

                                                                           Sarah Young

                                                                           Jesus Calling