Is your soul completely devoid of joy?
In his book, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis wrote, "I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world. But then Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is."
Do you find yourself so busy chasing after worldly pleasures that your soul is completely devoid of joy? We are tempted to assume that we can make ourselves joyful, but C.S Lewis reminds us of the impossibility of that pursuit.
The world offers pleasure, whereas God can give us inner contentment and enduring joy. Giving into the desires of our sinful nature can provide some temporary pleasure, often followed by deep regret, whereas everything God desires to do in our life is ultimately aimed at producing joy in our heart.
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If you have not met Jesus Christ and placed your faith in Him, then you have never experienced the joy that only God can give you. And while joy is often experienced in family relationships, the joy of the Lord goes even deeper and endures forever.
David wrote these beautiful words about the Lord: "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11).
Notice the confidence David had regarding his future. David knew for a fact that eternal pleasures were awaiting him on the other side of the grave. How much money would you be willing to pay for a medical procedure that enabled you to live forever in a land of perfection and experience eternal pleasures? Just imagine if you could remain youthful in appearance and in excellent health throughout eternity.
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26). And while that question from the Lord was directed toward Martha, God asks the same question of you. If you will place your faith in Jesus today, you will experience an October surprise.
If you have never known God's peace, you do not realize what you are missing. While God's peace does not make all your problems go away, it does provide hope, strength, vision, encouragement and a fresh perspective in the midst of your difficulties.
A famous encounter occurred between Jesus and a Samaritan woman who had come to draw water at a well. Jesus spoke to her, even though Jews did not associate with Samaritans. She was surprised by both His actions and His words. Jesus told her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).
This could be your holy moment to drink God's living water. If you will begin drinking by believing in Jesus as your Savior, you will find yourself continuing to drink this refreshing water day after day. And one day you will wake up in Heaven. Surprise, surprise!
Imagine the astonishment the terrorist Saul of Tarsus experienced when Jesus came to him on the Damascus Road and converted him. Saul had been persecuting followers of Christ up until that moment, when all of a sudden he was given the surprise of his life. What about you? Have you experienced the surprise of the new birth?
Perhaps you are too weighed down by politics right now to even think about the Savior. You may find politics invigorating, but politics and politicians are unable to save your soul. If you were to die tonight in your sleep, would you go to Heaven? That is to say, are you saved, redeemed, born again, justified and forgiven? I addressed this issue further in my CP op-ed titled, "Imagine Having Only Politics."
You actually have a role to play in the life-changing surprise Christ can give you. Think of it this way: If you traveled to Hiddenite, North Carolina, you could visit Emerald Hollow Mine and actually dig and hunt for emeralds. Imagine digging for a few hours and suddenly finding a large emerald. You would probably be unable to contain your excitement!
Now imagine finding a treasure that actually enables you to live forever is a place of perfection. You see, Heaven is a real place and millions of believers are already there! You will never encounter a bigger surprise than the day you discover and embrace Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Everything in this world, and I mean everything, pales in comparison.
Will you remain completely passive regarding a relationship with your Creator, or will you do a little digging? If you choose to dig into the Christian faith, you could uncover an October surprise that would change your life forever. You could start by reading "Evidence That Demands a Verdict."
Will you wrap up another October doing the "same old same old," or will you be surprised by Jesus and the joy only He can give? After every politician has left this world, Jesus will remain and His Kingdom will never end. Do you want to be a part of it? Would you like to become a follower of Christ?
You have a part to play in your October surprise. As the resurrected Savior told Thomas, "Stop doubting and believe" (John 20:27).
Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska.
