Echoes Of Laughter

Lifting up the voice with joy. 1 Chr. 15:16

When my boys were young we had our rituals that would make them belly laugh. You could bet on it that once I started singing Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer I could not stop at one time through. And when they were young I used to lift them up in my arms, lay them flat in the air and pretend they were Superman. " More powerful than a locomotive, faster than a speeding bullet." When I got to the " Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound," I would toss them in the air. Each time echoes of laughter would bounce off the walls and I would hear, " Again Daddy, Again." As a father reminiscing I long for those joyous times of yesteryear.

There is another Father that longs to hear our joy. He lives in heaven and He longs to hear the joy we once held for Him.That joy is supposed to be expressed in song, praise and musical instruments. You might be one to say, " I don't play an instrument or sing." I dare say our ability does not matter. It is the attitude of joy that Father is listening for.

This joy that is expressed by praise and shouting from the heart can be done at all ages. Joy is everlasting, abundant and unspeakable. This great delight that has been freely given must never fade, diminish or be taken for granted.

While you may not be one to be over taken by emotions this is one time that it is expected of you. Unfortunately we tell ourselves that this is not proper behavior coming from a big strong man. But once we are completely surrendered over and we completely understand all that we have as a child of the King then the quiet man will dance with joy.

This new nature now strengthened by the spirit may flat out be called insensible by others. But how can we not praise a Father whose inheritance is sealed by the Spirit, received by the Lord and allows us to walk the road all the way to heaven?

I urge you to check your joy meter. If it has sagged just a bit ask Father to fill your heart with a dancing spirit and a song that lasts forever.

Father,
What has taken my joy
And stripped it all away?
What has locked my lips
As if I had nothing to say?

Please bring back my joy
And fill my heart so full,
That my lips will always praise You
And the world will always know.