Joy will go on

I was doing some reading about the family of God and came across the following. Hope you can enjoy even a small part of what I profited by the following words. These came from a book called Christ Object Lessons, drawing illustrations from lessons Jesus taught when He was a man here on earth. (emphasis is mine)

This is the service that God has chosen--"to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke, . . . and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh." Isaiah 58:6, 7. When you see yourselves as sinners saved only by the love of your heavenly Father, you will have tender pity for others who are suffering in sin. You will no longer meet misery and repentance with jealousy and censure. When the ice of selfishness is melted from your hearts, you will be in sympathy with God, and will share His joy in the saving of the lost.
It is true that you claim to be a child of God; but if this claim be true, it is "thy brother" that was "dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." He is bound to you by the closest ties; for God recognizes him as a son. Deny your relationship to him, and you show that you are but a hireling in the household, not a child in the family of God.
Though you will not join in the greeting to the lost, the joy will go on, the restored one will have his place by the Father's side and in the Father's work. He that is forgiven much, the same loves much. But you will be in the darkness without. For "he that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." 1 John 4:8.

There are possible negatives in these words if viewed from the wrong attitude. However, just think of the opportunity to share the JOY OF GOD by cooperating with the Creator God in bringing souls to life. Wow!

Introducing others to love - first human love, then divine love - means that I am a channel of that kind of love from God and from others. What a privilege! I get the awesome privilege of God's love flowing through me to others. And isn't it also to consider that that kind of JOY will go on. That is wonderful.

Bringer of Peace