Marynan and I went for an evening walk last week. We like to do that. After we got about half a mile from the house, she threw her arms up in the air and burst into song: "Fairest Lord Jesus!" To which I added, "Ruler of all nature!" And then we made our way through the remainder of the verse. Awhile later, she did it again, and I followed suit. Hear me when I say that this was no singing under the breath either. We were praising loud enough to keep the rocks from crying out. It's our duty as believers, you know.
Actually, Marynan gets this trait honestly. I think I started that whole singing bit when I was very young -- almost too young to remember. Many, many mornings, probably before the sun barely had time to peek over the horizon, I'd go out to my swing set in the backyard, swing as high as it would carry me, and sing "Jesus Loves Me" to the top of my lungs. Morning after morning would the neighbors wake up to my serenade.
Speaking of neighbors, when Marynan and I got home from our walk, I looked at her and said, "You want to go jump on Annette's trampoline?" She looked at me like I was crazy.
"You serious?"
"Yeah."
"Well, sure." And off we went to the neighbor's yard.
Needless to say, we were already giggling before we got there. I cannot tell you the last time I got on a trampoline -- 35 years or more -- so my first problem was remembering how to actually get on the thing and do it gracefully. I finally forgot the graceful part and just sort of rolled on, and that's all it took to really get the tickle boxes turned over. The first few moments were precarious -- somewhat like balancing on a highwire, I'm thinking. I grabbed onto my daughter's arms and dared her to move. But jumping on a trampoline is much like riding a bike again after several years -- only a little more dangerous and a little bit further to fall. But it all came back to me and we had a ball. I'm not sure which we did more: laugh or jump.
At one point, I said, "Okay, try to sit down and bounce back up." To a 19 year old, that's obviously not very difficult, because she did it on the first try. But then she said, "You try it now." For a 49 year old, it's a little more tricky. But I almost made it! And then she encouraged, "Try it again!" And that time I came back to my feet! Yippee!!! She got especially tickled when I clapped for myself. We jumped higher; laughed harder; and even took a video of each other with my camera phone -- just to prove we did it.
As we finally climbed off -- though I don't think that's what one would call what I actually did, I made the comment, "I know your daddy is so embarrassed." (He'd been working in the yard; and as far as I could tell, acting like he didn't know who we were.) But you know what? We had a blast! It was thrilling to jump and play.
In the Amplified Version of Romans 5:2, Paul says, "... And let us REJOICE and EXULT in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God." According to Websters, that word exult means "to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy... to leap upward." In other words, to exult is a jump up and down kind of joy.
Where was it we thought that when we grew up we quit getting excited or expressing joy by singing to the top of our lungs or doing cheerleading jumps on a trampoline? Where was it we thought that when we grew up we got over childish things? Was it when people started making fun of us -- or thinking we were idiots? But more importantly, when did we stop thrilling in the Lord Jesus and His so great a salvation and of experiencing the hope of His glory? What makes us think that the more mature we are in the Lord, the less we sing and the less we thrill? Because what Paul is saying is that the one who is most mature is the one who can jump the highest. Let's never get over getting silly with joy over what He has done for us -- or because He loves us so.
And if we have gotten over it, then for crying out loud, let's take off our shoes and socks and climb up on that trampline and jump, because that is the intrinsic right of a child of God -- not just a brand new baby believer.
And maybe it wouldn't hurt to sing a little, too. You choose: "FAIREST LORD JESUS!" or "JESUS LOVES ME -- THIS I KNOW!" Either one of them will keep the rocks from crying out and it might even put a little pep in your step.
Go ahead. Do it!
Actually, Marynan gets this trait honestly. I think I started that whole singing bit when I was very young -- almost too young to remember. Many, many mornings, probably before the sun barely had time to peek over the horizon, I'd go out to my swing set in the backyard, swing as high as it would carry me, and sing "Jesus Loves Me" to the top of my lungs. Morning after morning would the neighbors wake up to my serenade.
Speaking of neighbors, when Marynan and I got home from our walk, I looked at her and said, "You want to go jump on Annette's trampoline?" She looked at me like I was crazy.
"You serious?"
"Yeah."
"Well, sure." And off we went to the neighbor's yard.
Needless to say, we were already giggling before we got there. I cannot tell you the last time I got on a trampoline -- 35 years or more -- so my first problem was remembering how to actually get on the thing and do it gracefully. I finally forgot the graceful part and just sort of rolled on, and that's all it took to really get the tickle boxes turned over. The first few moments were precarious -- somewhat like balancing on a highwire, I'm thinking. I grabbed onto my daughter's arms and dared her to move. But jumping on a trampoline is much like riding a bike again after several years -- only a little more dangerous and a little bit further to fall. But it all came back to me and we had a ball. I'm not sure which we did more: laugh or jump.
At one point, I said, "Okay, try to sit down and bounce back up." To a 19 year old, that's obviously not very difficult, because she did it on the first try. But then she said, "You try it now." For a 49 year old, it's a little more tricky. But I almost made it! And then she encouraged, "Try it again!" And that time I came back to my feet! Yippee!!! She got especially tickled when I clapped for myself. We jumped higher; laughed harder; and even took a video of each other with my camera phone -- just to prove we did it.
As we finally climbed off -- though I don't think that's what one would call what I actually did, I made the comment, "I know your daddy is so embarrassed." (He'd been working in the yard; and as far as I could tell, acting like he didn't know who we were.) But you know what? We had a blast! It was thrilling to jump and play.
In the Amplified Version of Romans 5:2, Paul says, "... And let us REJOICE and EXULT in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God." According to Websters, that word exult means "to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy... to leap upward." In other words, to exult is a jump up and down kind of joy.
Where was it we thought that when we grew up we quit getting excited or expressing joy by singing to the top of our lungs or doing cheerleading jumps on a trampoline? Where was it we thought that when we grew up we got over childish things? Was it when people started making fun of us -- or thinking we were idiots? But more importantly, when did we stop thrilling in the Lord Jesus and His so great a salvation and of experiencing the hope of His glory? What makes us think that the more mature we are in the Lord, the less we sing and the less we thrill? Because what Paul is saying is that the one who is most mature is the one who can jump the highest. Let's never get over getting silly with joy over what He has done for us -- or because He loves us so.
And if we have gotten over it, then for crying out loud, let's take off our shoes and socks and climb up on that trampline and jump, because that is the intrinsic right of a child of God -- not just a brand new baby believer.
And maybe it wouldn't hurt to sing a little, too. You choose: "FAIREST LORD JESUS!" or "JESUS LOVES ME -- THIS I KNOW!" Either one of them will keep the rocks from crying out and it might even put a little pep in your step.
Go ahead. Do it!
1 comment:
Isn't laughing great?!? A true genuine laugh or giggle that leads to another giggle and so on are just PRICELESS. I will forever treasure our most recent "giggle moments" and look forward to MANY more! I thank God for them even if sometimes they are from sleep deprivation and tired bodies!
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