Glen Avon Presbyterian Church

"Joy as Strength"

Rev. Lon Weaver

One thing which has mystified me through the years is the willingness of a person to do something out of obligation rather than joy. My father got to a point in his life—in about his mid-50s, as I recall—in which he was able to counsel me on the topic of the joy-obligation tension: “Lon, I’m not completely sure if this is completely right, but I’m fairly sure it is. There are a certain number of things in life which you can’t escape doing, even though you may want to. But on the whole, you are going to find the deepest meaning in life when you minimize the things which aren’t a source of joy and maximize the things which give you great and joyful fulfillment.” Dad was speaking at a point in which he was pretty much freed from the illusion that he had to prove anything to anyone in order to have a sense of success and meaning. As he closes in on his 80^th birthday, I’m sure he continues to advocate joy over obligation.

This is a question of being true to one’s calling, true to that inner voice which invites you into life and deep clarity, rather than predictability and mere comfort. “Life?” you may ask. “Clarity?” Hear how a great hymn by the marvelous Fred Pratt Green puts it:

How clear is our vocation, Lord,

When once we heed your call:

To live according to Your word,

And daily learn, refreshed, restored,

That You are Lord of all

And will not let us fall. (1981)

As one in the depths of middle-aged male existence, I know myself to be part of that demographic most prone to fearful satisfaction with what is, rather than openness to refreshing, life-giving, and faithful new direction. It is a daily temptation for me to choose fearful “safety” rather than faithful openness. What seems to be the key? It is the practice of listening to the impulses, the tugs of what we call the voice of God. It’s a matter of believing that God has the very best in mind for us, believing that we can experience blissful, joyful connection to God through taking God’s paths for us. It’s a practice which requires us to surrender daily the strange “comfort” of fear in favor of walking with God as our joy-giving companion. It’s living by the counsel of Nehemiah, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” (8:10)

As we embrace these summer months, may we listen to God, may we see the direction to which God points us, may we experience the joy of the Lord! Amen.