In recent years while covid has been ravaging the earth, there has been a world wide demonstration of this verse. Joy withered away! Very few smiles were seen because people were unhappy, or because they were wearing masks and we could not see their smiles even if they were there!

There are many people who are ignored, ridiculed or beaten because of their insistence in attending church or prayer meetings. None, that I have met, have managed to do what this verse suggests and leap for joy because of their rejection. Although many manage to put on a brave face.

It took Jacob many years to learn how to behave correctly in his relationships with others. From birth he had been a schemer. These verses, uttered by his father in law voice the disappointment in that family relationship. Neither Laban nor Jacob were good at being honest in their dealings.

There is a joy that comes on the people of God when they do things together. Christian festivals or large gatherings of believers have the same effect today. There is a presence of Holy Spirit when the people of God gather together in unity whatever the reason.

Every normal father wants to be proud of his children, whether daughters or sons. And many mothers know that if the children do not behave correctly, father will be hurt and upset and the whole family will suffer. She will work hard for joy to reign in the family home.

Once we have tasted something of The Kingdom of God, the love and power that are its main components, then we naturally want to know more about it. Our experiences of the Heavenly Kingdom should make each of us want to experience more of what The Lord has for us.

The double edged sword is to help us win our personal battles. We must remember though, that our enemy is not the difficult person you may need to disagree with in the office, or the bank manager who will not lend you the money you need, or the grumpy neighbours!

We know the names of the twelve disciples but who were these seventy two? We can only suppose that they were people who had followed Jesus closely. Maybe He could see into their eager hearts and knew they believed in Him and would be obedient and trust what He said.

At the end of Lamentations, this book of complaints and sadness, Jeremiah lets us know that he still trusts in God, who is the only one who can change things. God is still the same today, and He is turning hearts back to Himself through the turmoil of our world.

In this letter to the Galatian church, Paul is assuring believers that there is freedom in Christ. Freedom does not mean anything is allowed, and is not an excuse for orgies! There is a freedom of an inner life that cannot be imagined by those who have not experienced it.