My Joy

My Joy

by Depeche Mode

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My joy, the air that I breathe

My joy, in God I believe

You move me

My joy, the blood in my veins

My joy, flows in your name

You move me

I'm not a mountain, no

You move me

My joy, heavenly bliss

My joy, the pleasure I miss

You move me

I'm not a mountain, no

You move me

The bible instructs and gives many clues as to the nature of joy and love. We are at all times to be  mindful of the 'great commandment,' love one another. Here in the gospel of John is one such instruction:

The bishop-teacher to the chosen Lady and to her children whom I love in truth--and not only I but also all who know the truth-- because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever.
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, in truth and love.

"But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another.
For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the anti-christ.

Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense.
Anyone who is so "progressive" as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works. Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use paper and ink.
Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to face so that our joy may be complete."　　2Ｊohn1
　

Love, Stronger Than Pride

Love Stronger Than Pride

by Sade Adu, 1988

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I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride

I still really love you

`Sitting here wasting my time

would be like

waiting for the sun to rise

It's all too clear

things come and go

Sitting here waiting for you

would be like waiting for winter

It's gonna be cold

There may even

be snow
 
I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride...

Nothing Can Come Between Us
by Sade Adu, 1988
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Always hope you'll remember
We'll never really learn the meaning of it all
What we have is strong and tender
So hold on...


Hold on
It truly is a good thing
And I always wanted you
to know...
It's ever lasting...


It's about faith
It's about trust

For those who choose to remain in the way of faith, conventional wisdom in the light appears foolish; the opposite may, however, also be true: in the glare of conventional wisdom, the love story that is the Christ becomes foolishness. Most people live conventional lives. They do not see a role as artists, seers or poets; they do not heed a call as co-Creators. Accepting this as our role, we, as it is said, 'take up our cross', living a life that is quite often counter cultural. It is a life that values creation and all things made, natural to the world; a life of love and spirit. The disciple John writes, "Do not work for the food that perishes." (John 6:27)

So like the words written above by the artist Sade, where we find our heart, there is where our treasures lie. Intimately, the words direct us perhaps to another place, one not originally intended, but still we arrive-- and it is the right place-- even if we had not known it before. Sometimes, we're just obstinate, until faith intervenes. We are reminded that in love we do, we really do live in a community. There is someone nearby to ask, to call, to rely upon.

Yet to receive, we need to ask and to ask exposes us as part of a community. If we seek only to receive and not to give, "sitting here waiting for you... wasting my time..." because you will not, or perhaps refuse to, ever return the gift, then the words of the Christ would have a very different meaning. A gift would not be a gift. Who would there be to receive it? Who would have gifts at all? Only when givers are also willing to be receivers does the community come alive; only then does the community animate with faith, with love, with trust. I still really love you. Love is stronger than pride.