CalledOut Music sings, ‘Joy’. Where can you find the joy of the Lord in your life today?

My Light and salvation, it's You

I've got a firm foundation in You, Lord

You hold me daily, daily

The hope for my soul

I'm ever so safe here with You

I got Grace everywhere I be

With blessings falling on me

There's nothing too hard for the God that I serve

Tell me why should I be afraid?

No matter what comes my way

I'll overcome with a smile on my face

I got that joy like a river flowing down to my soul

I feel like dancing, I feel it in my bones

I sing, I sing, Lord

It feels like a dream

'Cause with You on my team

I'm winning

Nothing's going to hold me back

Nothing's going to stop my praise

Nothing's going to keep me silent

I'll say it from the rooftops

I got grace everywhere I be

With blessings falling on me

There's nothing too hard for the God that I serve

Tell me why should I be afraid?

No matter what comes my way

I'll overcome with a smile on my face

I got that joy like a river flowing down to my soul

I feel like dancing, I feel it in my bones

Joy like a river flowing down, down, down, down…

I got joy like a river flowing down, down, down, down…

I got that joy like a river flowing down to my soul

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 16:20-23

Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

Jesus speaks of his physical departure from this earth, likening his disciples’ response to the pains of childbirth. What has been born in you from the coming of the God’s Spirit through the rising of Jesus from the dead?

Jesus promises that if we ask anything of the Father in his name, it will be given to us, yet we often don’t receive what we ask for in prayer. How do you understand or respond to his words here?

Listening again to the reading, notice what strikes you and how you respond to those particular words.

John 16:20-23

Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

Despite the struggles we sometimes face with prayer that appears to go unanswered, Jesus encourages us to place our deep desires before God. What do you want to ask of or say to God at this time?

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen