28's Are Wild

Scripture

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”  (John 15:9-13 NLT) 

28’s Are Wild

It was December 28th when we gathered with our kids and grandkids for our Christmas dinner and gift exchange. After much eating, drinking and laughter our grandkids started using their phones to calculate how many days they had been alive. When they got around to laughing at me they found that December 28th was my 28000th day – 28’s were wild.  

One good friend has done some calculations about his own life estimating how many more golf games he has left. T.S Eliot’s Prufrock said, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons” and you may be doing something similar in either a hopeful or doleful manner.  

As I spent a few moments in quiet on New Year’s Day, before taking down the Christmas tree, the invocation from Book Two of Celtic Daily Prayer nabbed me with the question “Where is the joy?” It’s the prayer for today because it catches us at a time where deep joy isn’t easily seen – and yet I’d like that to measure my days.   

When Jesus promised us joy, it wasn’t a sappy sentiment of optimism in the face of catastrophe.  His joy is deeply connected to his call to love one another, lay down our lives for another’s good. Jesus reached out to us as his friends when we needed it most. I want that sort of deep joy for us all this year regardless of what it brings. 28’s are wild, but God is good and joy is to be found.  

A Prayer for Today 

As the hand is made for holding, and the eye for seeing, You have fashioned us for joy. Share with us that vision that shall find it everywhere. 

And, when our song of joy dies down to silence, come, hold our powerlessness with love! Then shall our fear be gone, and our feet set on a radiant path.

(From Celtic Daily Prayer Book Two, Wm. Collins)