Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Joy and Proverbs
Evil
The Book of Proverbs is more than mere adages we repeat in moments of confusion or stress. They are universal metaphors that serve as anchors in a bewildering and sometimes tumultuous world. Many resources are available to understand these maxims and during this second week of Advent we will focus on the surprising power of the proverbs to reveal God’s truth to us. If this week’s exploration of Proverbs calls you to search for more ways to encounter joy, click on the word Joy in the categories cloud in the blog’s right hand sidebar and choose a reflection, or enter the word Joy in the blog search bar. Today joy surprises us in the midst of evil.
In this second week in Advent we continue to share simple verses from Proverbs that bring joy to our hearts even in the most surprising of circumstances.
Verse 13:9: The light of the just gives joy, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
Verse 21:15: When justice is done it is a joy for the just, downfall for evildoers.
Verse 29:6: The sin of the wicked is a trap, but the just run along joyfully.
God says: When you experience every kind of evil – greed, anger, pride, lust, envy, gluttony or sloth – you need not devise a plan to combat these forces of darkness. You need only rest in me. Christ shows you which way to walk. The Spirit gives you the words you are to use. And I, the Creator, give you strength and stamina beyond your imaginings. Only rest in me. In this way you find joy in the darkest of days and my joy in you is a lamp that pierces all darkness.
Tomorrow, God’s joy will surprise us even in bitterness.
For more information about anxiety and joy, visit: http://riselikeair.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/anxiety-joy-a-journey/
Image from: http://www.boazbaptist.com/alampinthedarkvideo.htm
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