Source of Joy

Paul points out in chapter one of Philippians that sharing the Gospel is a source of JOY for himself
and that he also receives JOY in knowing that the Philippian Christians are sharing the Gospel with others.
It's kind of a snowball effect:

I shared with you (JOY),

you shared with others (JOY-JOY),

 I'm happy that you are sharing with others (Triple-JOY)

But . . .
He is under house arrest; his chains restricting him to a small house in Rome. He is separated from those who are dear to him. He has been beaten, tortured, imprisoned, shipwrecked. His body must have been racked with constant pain, even on good days. He knows that very soon he will be sentenced to death for doing what THE LORD has called him to do.

Yet, in this state of affairs, he writes a letter whose constant theme is JOY.

His famous quote

"Rejoice in the LORD always!  Again, I say, rejoice!"

 

in chapter 4 seems like he can hardly contain himself!

 And why should he.

 

 He knows where

TRUE JOY is found.

 

It is found in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and rejoicing with others who are doing the same.
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Maybe that's why so many of us aren't so joyful.  We simply aren't sharing the Good News.

The Sparrow at Starbucks

Thanks, Mom, for sharing this email.
      
It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square . Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.
For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we

were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing. It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s to the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.

After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked. "No," I replied. "We love it when t he audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?"To my delight, she accepted my invitation.. "You choose," I said. "What are you in the mood to sing?""Well. ... do you know any hymns?"Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look. "Name one."

"Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one."

"Okay," I replied.

"How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?"

 

My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one." She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing.
Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed . Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free. For His eye is on the sparrow And I know He watches me.When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin' to drink, just like you!" But the ovation continued..

I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!"

"Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said."Why is that?"

"Well . .." she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite song."

"Really!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual.. "She was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week."I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence. "Are you going to be okay?"She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and everything's gonna be just fine." She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.

Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I refuse to believe it.