For the Joy Set Before Us
by Gemma Gardner
Dean’s mum loves working in her kitchen, and she’s always baking cakes for family, and anyone else who happens to call by. But her old oven wasn’t working properly, and it was hard for her to reach things in her cupboards. For years she had longed to have a new kitchen. So, finally, she decided this year that the time had come to have a new kitchen fitted.
It would be a big job, and the old kitchen would have to be gutted for the new design to be built, and the work would take two weeks to complete. But, although most people would prefer to be away from their home when a new kitchen is being built, Mum decided she would stay put. She thought carefully about what she would have to do to prepare, and weeks before the event, she started moving things out of the cupboards, with the help of Dean and other family members.
We prayed for Mum, and all the work that was going to be done, and I thought how there is joy when we get a job finished. As we cope with all the disruption, we look forward to the joy set before us when it is finished.
Well, as it happened, Mum coped quite well with all the disruption and loved having the workmen in each day. She was kept busy making them drinks in all the hot weather and said to us that she would miss the men being around when it was all finished. Now she has a new kitchen and we helped her to put things away in cupboards, finding the best place for arranging things so that she could get hold of them easily.
But there’s another kind of joy we can have. It is the joy which helps us to endure when things are really difficult. It’s the joy of looking forward to meeting Jesus and seeing Him face to face. It is the joy of being with Him forever, where there’s no more death, sorrow, sickness, pain, or sin.
As Hebrews 12:1-2 says, ‘Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God’.
Jesus could endure, knowing that one day He would have us with Him forever, a pure, spotless bride, presented faultless before God’s throne because of the cross. Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
May you know Him giving you all the grace you need to run the race before you.
Gemma Gardner lives in Norfolk with her husband, Dean, who until recently worked at Ellel Grange. They are both part of the Associate Ministry team which Gemma joined after completing the Modular school. Gemma has experienced the Lord`s healing and restoration over many years and longs to see Him healing other broken people. Gemma loves listening to music, cooking, knitting and crochet as well as outdoor exercise. She enjoys playing guitar and singing worship songs.
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