Shine Forth
What are ways that you can embody God’s love-filled joy?
Psalm 80: 1b-2
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.Stir up your might,
and come save us!
The voice of refugees seeking God’s salvation demand of God, “Shine forth”—send beams of light.
The emotion that I connect with beams of light is love-filled joy. It is the way we look at babies, how children receive parents and loved ones, when separated lovers are rejoined, when old friends meet, when we get the opportunity to show up for one another and witness someone else in all their glory, and even when loved ones are at the end of their life there can be a sense of joy in being present and connecting with them one last time to say our goodbyes.
Love-filled joy is also when refugees are welcomed into safety as neighbors and friends. Perhaps like when Mary and Joseph found a safe place for Mary to give birth while they fled to protect the life of their unborn son, and when they were received by shepherds and magi with hope, joy, and gifts that foretold the importance of Jesus’ life and way.
We are powerful in our love-filled joy. We have strength in our love-filled joy. We can be saved through God’s love-filled joy. We can save ourselves by embodying God’s love-filled joy, by loving and caring for one another.
As you consider God’s truth and way in the world that comes with the birth and life of Jesus, what are ways that you can embody God’s love-filled joy, stir up your might, and work together to save us from corruption, greed, facism, hate, and violence?
– Jenny Whitcher