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“Love, joy, and peace are the triumvirate at the heart of Jesus’s kingdom vision.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 24). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

We many times miss that fact, don’t we?

John says, “All three are more than just emotions; they are overall conditions of the heart. They aren’t just pleasant feelings; they are the kinds of people we become through our apprenticeship to Jesus, who embodies all three ad infinitum.

“And all three are incompatible with hurry.

“Think of joy. All the spiritual masters from inside and outside the Jesus tradition agree on this one (as do secular psychologists, mindfulness experts, etc.): if there’s a secret to happiness, it’s simple — presence to the moment. The more present we are to the now, the more joy we tap into.”

He goes on, “And peace? Need I even make a case? Think of when you’re in a hurry for your next event, running behind: Do you feel the deep shalom of God in your soul? A grounded, present sense of calm and well-being?

“To restate: love, joy, and peace are at the heart of all Jesus is trying to grow in the soil of your life. And all three are incompatible with hurry.

“Again, if you don’t believe me, next time you’re dragging the family (or if you’re single, the roommate) out the door, pay attention to your heart. Is it love and joy and peace you feel? Of course not.”

He then says, “Not only does hurry keep us from the love, joy, and peace of the kingdom of God—the very core of what all human beings crave—but it also keeps us from God himself simply by stealing our attention. And with hurry, we always lose more than we gain.”

We are in the season of celebrating giving.  And hurry has a way of keeping us from the joy and peace and love of giving.  We too many times celebrate getting.  And as John said, “With hurry, we always lose more than we gain.”

Let’s do all we can to celebrate the greatest gift that has ever been given, the gift of Jesus.  And would you not let hurry rob you of the love, the joy and the peace that Jesus gives? 

Yes, yes!
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