God Laughs & Sings With You

1 Peter 1:8-9 (The Message)

You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation.

So so often in the past people have seen Christians as boring miseries, self-righteous and judgemental. Aaargh! What a travesty when the One we claim to follow is exciting, life and people-embracing, and full of fun. Yes, fun! Is fun a good thing? Do all good things come from God? Then fun that is life-enhancing must be part of the nature of the God we worship. Agree?

Years ago I had one of those ‘holy imaginings’ when I saw myself climbing trees with Jesus. Now anyone who knows me might guess that even as a child I wasn’t one of those tree-climbing types. Too scared of heights and loss of dignity! And yet there I was up a tree, with Jesus encouraging me and we were having such fun! I felt he was saying: Come on, loosen up, enjoy being with me – this is great, it’s so good to be together.

Unlike the Apostle Peter you and I didn’t have the privilege of laughing with Jesus at dinner, or clambering together up a hillside, or taking a boat-ride when it wasn’t stormy, or listening to his jokes. But we have his Holy Spirit within us who is teaching us what Jesus is like and how we can be like him. 

Of course there are times for sadness and seriousness, after all there were times when Jesus wept, was passionately angry or troubled. And we share his human nature. However, as someone has said, ‘Intensity (that joyless over-focussing on something) is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit’.

Really, people, we believers should often be found laughing and singing because we have such a wonderful Saviour who constantly shows us grace, favour, kindness and gives us hope, joy, strength, peace – and humour!

Act: For Jesus’ sake, go and have some fun today!

Jill Rattle