Geometric Joy (and cake)

“Just wait,” his mother said, “we have to wait for everybody.”  My nephew, Bohden, sat as still as he could looking hungrily at the ice cream cake in front of him.  A big “3″ candle sat lit at the opposite edge of the cake just waiting to be blown out by the little boy.  Soon (but never soon enough) everyone gathered in the dining room and we began to sing to our “boy of the day.”  Bohden sat singing along and smiling occassionally as if he didn’t really know what was going on (or maybe the words to the song).  Mommy instructed her son to get up and blow the candle out.  Bohden reached as far as he could and after a couple of puffs, the candle went out and there was a brief quiet.  Then, clapping and clapping and cheers and shouts came out from the many family that was gathered around.  I will never forget the look on his face that Bohden had prior to the applause and cheers.  His face showed everyone how happy he was it was his birthday and how excited he was to have cake and presents.  Even more memorable to me was his face as we erupted into our clapping and vivacious cheers.  Bohden’s expression and feelings went from mere happiness to extreme joy.  His joyful family’s loud celebration caught him off guard for a second.  The 3 year old’s face lit up brighter than I had ever seen it and he clapped and danced on his chair.  It was a special moment where pure joy was tangible.  I don’t believe his joy was just because we were clapping for him but rather Bohden could feel everyone was celebrating all at once and with such heartfelt emotion.  One clap wouldn’t have produced it.  Two cheers in the room couldn’t have gotten us there either.  No CD or sound file played over speakers will ever be able to bring about that kind of change in the room nor would merely clapping and cheering.  It took everyone in the room to cheer and clap from the heart to produce the kind of joy that you can almost cut in the air with a cake knife.

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you. Psalms 84:9-12 (NRSV)

We want God to see our hearts and faces full of joy and spend our life holding God’s front door open for others than be anywhere else.  Bohden’s birthday celebration reminds me of how we worship God either in joy and with our whole being or to God’s dismay, giving less than our best.  How God must smile and cheer himself when he sees us getting excited about Him, celebrating Him.  Not just on a Saturday or Sunday but whenever we are gathered together and sharing whatever we have at the moment.  Praying together, collecting VBS supplies together, doing mission and service work with others, singing in worship as one, helping your next door neighbor with yard work, watching your friend’s children for a day, driving without using a cell phone (Why not?).  God’s joy at His creation doing good and great things with what He has first given us must thrill Him.  How powerful it is to put God first no matter what the cost to us.  How much do you trust and worship God with who you are and what you have been given?  The verse from Psalms above says, “No good thing does the Lord withold from those who walk uprightly” and boy was that ice cream cake good! 

Today and every day gather with others to use everything you have – your personality, possessions, knowledge, creativity, wealth, voice… your entire self to cheer and applause what God has done past, present and future for you and those around you!  Amen.