Skipping Dog

Have you ever seen a dog that could skip? I never thought they could, but that’s exactly what I saw last Friday. This happy little white dog was out for a walk, and he would run a few steps and then, sure enough, he would skip three or four times, before he’d run and then skip again. All the way down the sidewalk toward my house, I enjoyed this little guy’s excitement at being out and getting to smell things, to see things, and to experience the joy of living.

Then just this morning as I was waiting for my bus, I noticed the sun reflecting off the tall buildings that were surrounded by this amazing red sky. At the same time, it was drizzling. I experienced rain and sunshine at the same moment. This reminded me of how when we have a relationship with God, it is possible to experience the joy of the Lord even during hard times. When we go to God in prayer and tell Him about our problems, He fills us with a “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8) That’s a joy that may not even make sense because of what is happening around us.

God continues to provide me with reminders, like the little skipping dog and the beautiful morning sky, of His promise that He gives us joy even amidst the rain. I’ve heard that there are 159 verses in the Bible where joy is mentioned. Here are just a few of my favorites. May you experience the joy of the Lord this week.

Because of His Faithfulness,
Dr. Sharon Brobst, Director