Beware the drudge!

Drudge, even the word sounds ominous. Here's how the dictionary defines it: A person who works in a routine, unimaginative way. I admit that I am a very dutiful guy, who takes responsibility seriously, and who has trouble just letting go and playing. Last Fall, I bought a little Miata convertible - one of the more frivolous things I have done in my adult life. On a sunny day, I enjoy dropping the top, turning up the tunes, and hitting the road. Right in the middle of my fun, a stab of guilt will insert itself: "Shouldn't you be doing _________?" and I struggle with the urge to go back to do some job yet undone. Or I think, "How could you 'waste' this kind of money when there are so many needs around you?" Yep, I can be a real drudge!

In my prayertime today, the Spirit reminded me that His gift to me is joy and that if I allow myself to become a drudge, it's not His fault! The second aspect of the evidence of the Spirit's life in a Believer, the one that follows immediately after love, is joy. Jesus told the teaching story of the vine and branches, illustrating how those who become His disciples are connected to Him and draw life from Him. The principle is clear: No connection, no life! Remain intimately connected with Me, He said, and "you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" (John 15:11, NLT) A joyless Christian, one who is long-faced, miserable, and overwhelmed with his duties, is missing the point somewhere and failing to honor the Lord!

Could it be that we have allowed a caricature of Christianity to define the reality? Yes, the Scripture tells us that Jesus was "a man acquainted with grief, a man of sorrows." He did weep with those who were broken by disappointment, death, and disease. But that is only half of the story. He also earned harsh criticism from the religious leaders for being a man who ate dinner with those they considered low-lifes and sinners. He attracted people to Him everywhere He went. It is not a stretch of imagination to think that He did so by knowing how to laugh and lift them up. Don't forget, His first public miracle was supplying wine for a wedding! Somehow, for most of us, the only picture of the face of Jesus is the tear-stained one He wore on the night of Gethsemane's agony. We forget that kids loved Him, that crowds were drawn to Him, and that He spent a lot of time with so-called 'street people,' - a clue that He had to be a joyful man, too.

So, how do we live in His joy?

Worship! "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, NIV) If we live life, with our face to the ground, focusing only on the needs, the duties, the pressing responsibilities - we will be overcome with fatigue, if not outright depressed. Worship, offering up the sacrifice of praise, lifts our face to Heaven and allows us to regain a view of God's glorious works. No wonder the Scripture urges us to "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." (Psalm 95:1-2, NIV)

Serve! Stop, Jerry, didn't you just say we need to step away from duty? Yes, I did, but if we give ourselves to vanity, to endless chasing of 'fun,' we will lose the joy of God's approval! Jesus told a story about men who were entrusted with responsibility. Two of the three were diligent and obedient in their service. Note their commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful . . . Enter into the joy of your lord." (Matthew 25:23, NKJV)

Submit! Accepting God's grace for the road you will walk today is important. Nothing that happens to you today surprises Him. Those who are His beloved children can turn to Him and find help, strength, and resources. Sometimes He leads us through dark valleys, along ways we would not choose for ourselves. And, He gives grace for the journey. If we submit to His leadership, we can find joy even in the trials of life.

We must not confuse happiness, a transitory emotion that is largely based on pleasant circumstances, with genuine joy. Joy is a constant work of God's Spirit in us, not something we drum up, create, or paste into place. So, I repent of the sin of drudgery! And I pray for the joy of the Lord to fill my heart and mind so that I will honor Him even with my contentment and smile. I think I'll put in a worship CD when I take my Miata for a drive today- and let a song of praise fill the air, just for joy's sake!
____________

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ.
While fields and floods,Rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove.
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love,And wonders of His love,
And wonders, and wonders of His love.

Joy to the World
Isaac Watts© Public Domain