Acts 8:39 “He went on his way full of joy.”

Let’s talk about joy. It is related to happiness, yet these are two different emotions. Joy goes deeper and is longer lasting than happiness. So, allow me to share one of my favorite stories of joy.

We find the account of Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8. Philip, a devout follower of Jesus, was summoned to the desert by an angel. Surely Philip questioned how he could possibly bring glory to God in the middle of the desert. But the Great I AM had great plans for him. It was there, amid the sand, sun, and heat, Philip encountered an Ethiopian man. This man held high esteem in the court of the Queen, yet all those privileges failed to satisfy him. So, in his quest for something more meaningful, he searched scripture. When Philip joined his chariot and shared with him Jesus Christ, the Ethiopian man embraced the Good News, was baptized, and “He went on his way full of joy” (Acts 8:39).

A dry, lifeless desert seems to us an unlikely place to discover joy, yet it was the perfect spot for Jesus the Redeemer and Savior to do His work. After finding Jesus, the Ethiopian man continued on rejoicing and no doubt anxious to share the Good News of Christ. Imagine how the second leg of his long, hot journey far surpassed its beginning, because now he knew the Savior. The Ethiopian entered the desert searching and left the desert filled and refreshed; a most unlikely response to desert life.

Do we sometimes find ourselves in the desert places of life – places that leave us dry and famished and desperately seeking to be refreshed by the living water of Jesus? Perhaps we have forgotten the peace and comfort of true joy that awaits us when we re-connect with the Savior. Amid hardship, pain, and difficulties, the priceless gift of Jesus provides us deep joy. And, just like the Ethiopian of long ago, we, too, can rejoice even in the dry, desert places.

Father God, we praise you for the joy you sent into our lives when you gave us your Son.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane