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MEDITATION:

Written by Valerie E. Hess, a contemporary author, speaker, and musician. This is an excerpt from her book “Spiritual Disciplines Devotional.”

Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “Most people are about as happy as they choose to be.” We all know people who choose not to be happy. They are the ones at the family gatherings who, no matter how nice the event is, always find something wrong with it. Or they can never be fully happy or healthy despite the goodness surrounding them. Their little bit of complaining yeast can really work to dampen or even wreck an event for others.

In the discipline of celebration, we choose to be happy. Not in a naïve, optimistic kind of frothiness, but in a deep place in our spirits. We know that we can keep the festival because Christ, the Passover lamb, has been sacrified, and everything will ultimately come out as it should in the kingdom of God.  The analogy here is the anchor sunk into the bottom of the ocean, holding firmly despite the hurricane raging around the ship on the surface. This is where celebration becomes a discipline: we are making choices for life and goodness and wholeness in every situation of every day. And that is not always a natural choice to make. It takes practice and training, as do all the other good things in life.

PRAYER:

Written by Karen Moore, a contemporary Christian author.

Lord, for all those who don’t yet know Your mighty and powerful love, please help them find you. Pour out your mercy on their hearts and kindle the flame of faith in a new and passionate way into their spirits. As they walk toward You, Lord even a little bit, run toward them as the Father did in the story of the Prodigal son and bring them back home again to celebrate in great joy. May your light shine on in their hearts and minds forever. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

Blessed Assurance: Alan Jackson.  Written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby to music written in 1873 by Phoebe Knapp. The song reflects Crosby’s walk of faith, as expressed in Philippians 1:21.