May Joy Be Thine - A Poem by Annie Johnson Flint

 

May Joy Be Thine

The Springtime joy be thine:---
Joy of the wind across vast spaces sweeping
And like a giant on the forest leaping;
Joy of the trees from slumber rudely shaken,
From dreams of living unto life to waken;
Joy of the little bird that flies and sings
For very rapture of it song and wings;
Joy of the stream, whose penthouse roof of snow
Muffles no more its glad, impetuous flow;
Joy of the silver showers that gleam and pass
And leave a trail of green o'er tree and grass;
Joy of the mounting sap, the bursting seed,
The joy of life from death's dominion freed;---
This joy be thine.

The Resurrection joy be thine:---
The joy of those who, weeping
Because their dead, in straitened chambers sleeping,
Have left them for a while,
Yet know, that loosed from all earth's tribulations
They have passed on to heavenly habitations,
To Life eternal and the Father's smile;
The joy of those who hear
Beyond all doubt and fear,
Through jarring echoes of discordant strife,
That one Voice sounding clear:---
"I am the resurrection and the life;
They who believe on me
From death's dark thrall I free;
I drank that bitter cup, I passed that gloomy door,
Through that lone valley I have gone before,
Because I live, they live for evermore."
This joy be thine.

Annie Johnson Flint
altered

John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Worth Repeating - The Road to Emmaus

 

The Road to Emmaus

by Mary E. Stephens
April 2017

The account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and their meeting with Jesus is one of my favorite parts of the events surrounding His resurrection. It has drama, mystery, humor, and pathos. It is beautiful. Let's take a closer look.

Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

On the first day of the week, the day that Jesus rose from the dead, two of His disciples headed to their home at Emmaus in the afternoon. Sixty furlongs is about 10-12 kilometers or 7 miles, depending on how you measure it. So, it was a bit of a walk. At a moderate pace it would take them close to two hours, longer if they went slower.

Many of the paintings and illustrations of this story have shown two men walking with Jesus or sitting at the table eating with Him. If a woman is present, it's usually in the eating scene and she is usually a background figure serving the food or merely an onlooker. But is that really how it was?

We know that one of these disciples is Cleopas because he is named in verse 18. The other person is not named, but we do know some things that point to the possibility that it was his wife.

First of all, we read in John 19:25, Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. The spelling is only slightly different, but John mentions Mary and her husband as if they should be known disciples. Assuming that it is the same Cleopas that we read about in Luke, it is very likely that he and his wife, Mary, were returning from observing the Passover in Jerusalem (something that faithful Jews would have done), and that at least Mary had been present at the crucifixion.

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Worth Repeating - The Rich Family In Our Church

 

2 Corinthians 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

I don't remember where I first found this story, but it is worth repeating. It was first posted here in Jan. 2014.

The Rich Family In Our Church

By Eddie Ogan

I'll never forget Easter 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy, 12, and my older sister Darlene, 16. We lived at home with our mother, and the four of us knew what it was to do without many things. My dad had died 5 years before, leaving Mom with seven school kids to raise and no money. By 1946 my older sisters were married, and my brothers had left home.

A month before Easter, the pastor of our church announced that a special Easter offering would be taken to help a poor family. He asked everyone to save and give sacrificially. When we got home, we talked about what we could do. We decided to buy 50 pounds of potatoes and live on them for a month. This would allow us to save $20 of our grocery money for the offering. Then we thought that if we kept our electric lights turned out as much as possible and didn't listen to the radio, we'd save money on that month's electric bill. Darlene got as many house and yard cleaning jobs as possible, and both of us baby sat for everyone we could. For 15 cents, we could buy enough cotton loops to make three potholders to sell for $1. We made $20 on potholders.

That month was one of the best of our lives. Every day we counted the money to see how much we had saved. At night we'd sit in the dark and talk about how the poor family was going to enjoy having the money the church would give them. We had about 80 people in church, so we figured that whatever amount of money we had to give, the offering would surely be 20 times that much. After all, every Sunday the Pastor had reminded everyone to save for the sacrificial offering.

The day before Easter, Ocy and I walked to the grocery store and got the manager to give us three crisp $20 bills and one $10 bill for all our change. We ran all the way home to show Mom and Darlene. We had never had so much money before. That night we were so excited we could hardly sleep. We didn't care that we wouldn't have new clothes for Easter; we had $70 for the sacrificial offering. We could hardly wait to get to church!

On Sunday morning, rain was pouring. We didn't own an umbrella, and the church was over a mile from our home, but it didn't seem to matter how wet we got. Darlene had cardboard in her shoes to fill the holes. The cardboard came apart, and her feet got wet. But we sat in church proudly. I heard some teenagers talking about the Smith girls having on their old dresses. I looked at them in their new clothes, and I felt so rich.

When the sacrificial offering was taken, we were sitting on the second row from the front. Mom put in the $10 bill, and each of us girls put in a $20. As we walked home after church, we sang all the way. At lunch Mom had a surprise for us. She had bought a dozen eggs, and we had boiled Easter eggs with our fried potatoes!

Late that afternoon the minister drove up in his car. Mom went to the door, talked with him for a moment, and then came back with an envelope in her hand. We asked what it was, but she didn't say a word. She opened the envelope and out fell a bunch of money. There were three crisp $20 bills, one $10 and seventeen $1 bills. Mom put the money back in the envelope. We didn't talk, just sat and stared at the floor. We had gone from feeling like millionaires to feeling like poor white trash.

We kids had had such a happy life that we felt sorry for anyone who didn't have our mom and dad for parents and a house full of brothers and sisters and other kids visiting constantly. We thought it was fun to share silverware and see whether we got the fork or the spoon that night. We had two knives which we passed around to whoever needed them. I knew we didn't have a lot of things that other people had, but I'd never thought we were poor. That Easter Day I found out we were.

The minister had brought us the money for the poor family, so we must be poor. I didn't like being poor. I looked at my dress and worn-out shoes and felt so ashamed that I didn't want to go back to church. Everyone there probably already knew we were poor! I thought about school. I was in the ninth grade and at the top of my class of over 100 students. I wondered if the kids at school knew we were poor. I decided I could quit school since I had finished the eighth grade. That was all the law required at that time.

We sat in silence for a long time. Then it got dark, and we went to bed. All that week, we girls went to school and came home, and no one talked much. Finally on Saturday, Mom asked us what we wanted to do with the money. What did poor people do with money? We didn't know.

We'd never known we were poor. We didn't want to go to church on Sunday, but Mom said we had to. Although it was a sunny day, we didn't talk on the way.

Mom started to sing, but no one joined in and she only sang one verse. At church we had a missionary speaker. He talked about how churches in Africa made buildings out of sun-dried bricks, but they need money to buy roofs. He said $100 would put a roof on a church. The minister said, "Can't we all sacrifice to help these poor people?"

We looked at each other and smiled for the first time in a week. Mom reached into her purse and pulled out the envelope. She passed it to Darlene. Darlene gave it to me, and I handed it to Ocy. Ocy put it in the offering.

When the offering was counted, the minister announced that it was a little over $100. The missionary was excited. He hadn't expected such a large offering from our small church. He said, "You must have some rich people in this church."

Suddenly it struck us! We had given $87 of that "little over $100."
We were the rich family in the church!

Hadn't the missionary said so?

From that day on I've never been poor again.

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Mark 12:41-44  And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Evening Song - Because He Loved Me

Romans 8:38-39  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Ephesians 3:17-19  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

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Letters to My Friend - Rolling Away the Grave Stones

Here are some thoughts on how we sometimes need to roll away the grave stones in our lives so that we can see the power of the resurrection is already in us.

Rolling Away the Grave Stones

Word of the Day - Alive

Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Psalm 22:28-29 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

1 Samuel 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

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Evening Song - Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

Matthew 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 

Revelation 1:17-18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

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Song and Scripture - What Manner of Man Is this?

 
Matthew 8:26-27 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! 

Luke 23:33-34 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 

Matthew 28:5-6 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 

Romans 4:23-25 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 

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Reader's Comments - Joy and Rejoicing In the Face of Adversity

A cousin on my mom's side of the family who sometimes reads my things sent me this message recently:

Hi Mary, I thought I would send you what I was thinking about...the other day. I was remembering the verses at the end of chapter 3 in the book of Habakkuk. I realized if it was in the vernacular, I would be saying "Even though we have come through two wearying years of Covid and the price of gas has almost tripled and inflation has affected every purchase I make, and though the media pours out negativity and misinformation and we hear of wars and rumors of wars and although the moral fabric of our nation seems to be in shreds, YET WILL I REJOICE IN THE LORD. I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION!"

The passage she is referring to is:

Habakkuk 3:17-18 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

In the trying times we're living in, this is something so important to remember, and so hard to actually do...

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Thoughts for Resurrection Sunday

Dear Friend,

A lot of thoughts come to mind as we remember the greatest day in history - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm not sure I can get them out in an orderly manner, but I'll make an effort.

There are a lot of new faces in heaven this year. So many people passed away since the beginning of 2020. I have lost count of the deaths that have touched us or people we know or care about. It's a crazy high number from my limited experience. Over a dozen, probably pushing more towards twenty. Of course, my mother was one of them. Most of these people we know about were born again, so they are in heaven now, and I just wonder how that seemed. Did the people there notice an influx of new arrivals? Or was it not more than usual? How do they respond to all the new people arriving - especially if they knew them or were even related on earth? It kind of boggles my earth-bound mind. The one thing I do know is that these events were precious to God. Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. He was very happy to have them safely Home with Him, and there's something both moving and comforting about that.

Continue reading.

Evening Song - We Saw Thee Not But We Believe

John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

1 Peter 1:18-21 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 

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FREE - Vintage Graphic - Matthew 28:6 - Risen As He Said

 

Here is another vintage graphic that I edited. I got the original graphic somewhere online. I made some changes and added the verse. You can save the image from here, but it will not be very high quality. You can get it in higher quality if you go over and download it here. (Use the download button on the left.) 

If you wish to use this online, please do not link to the graphic from either of my locations. Save it to your own computer and then upload it to the place where you store graphics online for you own use. Thank you. 

[Note: It's OK to link the graphic from here only if you are sharing the link to this specific post on my blog - either on your own blog or in social media.] :-)

Enjoy!

A Short Thought On Grieving and God's Comfort

 

Here is something I shared on my Facebook page and thought I'd post it here as well.

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Today marks one year since my dear mom went to be with the Lord. It feels like it shouldn't be that long yet, but in other ways it feels longer. She had started to leave by bits and pieces long before that because of the dementia that was stealing her away from us.

Grief is a strange, unpleasant thing that we struggle to deal with. Sometimes people say it is a normal part of life. I don't believe it is, and I think that is what makes it so hard for us to deal with it. God didn't intend for us to die and to deal with death. Mankind was not originally created to die. Did you ever think about that? It is not a natural part of life for us. It is unavoidable and predictable, but it hurts so much because it is part of the curse of sin, not one of the things we were created to deal with.

Adam and Eve sinned in eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but also failed to eat of the tree of life. I have wondered about that sometimes. Then God shut them out of the Garden of Eden so that they wouldn't eat of it and live forever in their sinful state (Gen. 3:22). He had a plan to give us eternal life, but the price had to be paid to make that possible.

1 Corinthians 15:26 says, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." People sometimes talk like it's a blessing or something to look forward to even. I understand why Christians say that because of the hope of heaven and rest, but I don't believe it is entirely biblical. Death is an enemy. The process of giving us the victory over it and the hope of the resurrection was complicated and extremely costly to Jesus Christ. And, that enemy is not destroyed yet. We still face it over and over, both in our own experience and just by living in this death filled world.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

Here is something to think about - We cannot learn to give others God's comfort unless we have been in need of it ourselves. So feeling the grief and letting God comfort us in it is part of His will for us now, because He intends for us to pass it on to other hurting people.

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Evening Song - The Mercy Tree

Psalm 118:1-4 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 

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Evening Song - In the Garden

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 

John 20:11-18 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

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The Heart's Center - A Poem

As we remember and rejoice in the great victory Jesus Christ won over sin and death and hell, let us consider the response that this astonishing fact should call forth in us in our daily lives.

The Heart's Center 

by Albert Midlane

Think well of Christ, beloved saint,

That worthy, precious One,

Who fills the Father's heart, as there

He sits upon the throne.

Deem moments wasted, when the mind

Is fixed on aught beside;

He claims thy heart--with nothing less

Will He be satisfied.

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Guest Post: Truth or Fact?

Today I am sharing a short, but cheering, thought related to the power of the resurrection and the Lord's ability to change facts with His truth. This item is posted at The Home Maker's Corner. It is written by my brother, Dan, and used with his permission.
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Truth or Fact?

Are these two things mutual? Immutable in their connectivity? From a humanistic perspective, we would ascertain that they are indeed always linked. From that humanist perspective we therefore tend to stray quickly into the realm of unbelief.

Here is an example of Truth not being equitable to "fact" which I would like you to ponder on.

Continue Reading Here.

May Joy Be Thine – A Poem by Annie Johnson Flint

The Springtime joy be thine:---
Joy of the wind across vast spaces sweeping
And like a giant on the forest leaping;
Joy of the trees from slumber rudely shaken,
From dreams of living unto life to waken;
Joy of the little bird that flies and sings
For very rapture of its song and wings;
Joy of the stream, whose penthouse roof of snow
Muffles no more its glad, impetuous flow;
Joy of the silver showers that gleam and pass
And leave a trail of green o'er tree and grass;
Joy of the mounting sap, the bursting seed,
The joy of life from death's dominion freed;---
    This joy be thine.

    The [Resurrection] joy be thine:---
The joy of those who, weeping
Because their dead, in straitened chambers sleeping,
    Have left them for a while,
Yet know, that loosed from all earth's tribulations
They have passed on to heavenly habitations,
  To Life eternal and the Father's smile;
    The joy of those who hear
    Beyond all doubt and fear,
Through jarring echoes of discordant strife,
    That one Voice sounding clear:---
"I am the Resurrection and the Life;
    They who believe on Me
    From death's dark thrall I free;
I drank that bitter cup, I passed that gloomy door,
Through that lone valley I have gone before,
Because I live, they live for evermore."
    This joy be thine.

- Annie Johnson Flint [altered]

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Cades Cove, Tenn. (Great Smoky Mts.)

First published here 4/12.

Evening Song - Thine Be The Glory

Luke 24:5-6 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 

Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

Hymn - Christ Arose!; Poem - On Calvary We've Adoring Stood

Luke 24:3-5 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

On Calvary We've Adoring Stood

On Calvary we've adoring stood,
And gazed on that wondrous cross
Where the holy, spotless, Lamb of God
Was slain in His love for us;
How our hearts have stirred at that solemn cry,
While the sun was enwrapt in night,
"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?"
Most blessed, most awful sight.

Our sins were laid on His sacred head,
The curse by our Lord was borne;
For us a victim our Saviour bled,
And endured that death of scorn;
Himself He gave our poor hearts to win--
(Was ever love, Lord, like Thine!)
From the paths of folly, and shame, and sin,
And fill them with joys divine.

We've watched by the tomb where our Saviour lay
When he entered the gloomy grave;
And by death the power of death might slay
And His lambs from the lion save.
Oh! glorious time when the Victor rose!
He liveth, no more to die;
He hath bruised the head of our mighty foes,
For us was His victory!

The gates of heaven are opened wide,
At His name all the angels bow;
The Son of man who was crucified
Is the King of glory now:
We love to look up and behold Him there,
The Lamb for His chosen slain;
And soon shall His saints all His glories share,
With their Head and their Lord to reign.

And now we draw near to the throne of grace,
For His blood and the Priest are there;
And we joyfully seek God's holy face,
With our censer of praise and prayer.
The burning mount and the mystic veil,
With our terrors and guilt, are gone;
Our conscience has peace that can never fail,
'Tis the Lamb on high on the throne.

By James G. Deck, 1807- 1884
From Hymns For the Little Flock, No. 212

Hebrews 9:11-14 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

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Just a note of correction - A few weeks ago I mentioned that Resurrection Sunday should be after Passover and said that it should be on April 8th this year. I'm not sure how it happened, but for some reason I thought that Passover was April 7th. Passover actually began Friday night (March 30), so this is the correct day to observe the resurrection of Jesus Christ.