The Discipline of Celebration

Treated my drama team to a great steamboat buffet dinner yesterday. Really felt a lot of joy in blessing them - truly, like our Lord Jesus himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

But as we celebrated, one dear bro was still thinking (and maybe worrying) about some ministry stuff. He asked me about the ministry stuff, but I told him not to think about ministry at this time but to have fun with the rest. So he put the ministry question aside, and joined in the celebration.

Think we emphasise a lot on working hard and being serious and disciplined in our ministry and work. But are we also serious and disciplined about celebration and rejoicing in the Lord? John Ortberg wrote in his book "The Life You've Always Wanted", that celebration of life and all good things must also be a serious discipline, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. In fact it is an explicit command found in the Bible. "Do not grieve, for this day is sacred to the LORD your God... the joy of the Lord is your strength." There is a time to weep and mourn... and there is a time to celebrate and dance.

Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in evangelistic outreaches and so on about Easter and Christmas, that we forget the primary responses of the disciples, the shepherds and the (pagan) wise men. They came, they saw - and they rejoiced and worshipped the Lord.

True discipline is more than just doing the right things; it is doing the right things at the right times.

Yes, let's be equally disciplined in rejoicing and celebrating God's goodness every day. Amen!