Mournful Mugs

By Brenda Wood | Author and Speaker Tweet

Devotions | Friday, June 29, 2012

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I’ve just finished reading an article about the 12 disciples. I only know them from the Bible so found the bare-bones comments quite boring. For example, the writer says Peter was the first person to invite non-Jews to join the church. There’s no mention of the struggle Peter had with that, or the fact that he invited the Gentiles to join the faith, not the church. (See Acts chapter 10-11).

Paintings of the disciples follow the article. Oh my! All of them stare morosely toward heaven, their expressions pitifully sad; not a smile in the bunch. Judas Iscariot is the only one who looks like he might have some gumption.

Since most of these pictures were painted centuries after their death, the artists must have used the expressions of local Christians as their base. What a happy bunch they must have been.

Then I looked in the mirror this morning ....and I see a mournful mug just like the ones in those paintings. Oops. And you?

Shouldn’t joy fill our hearts and minds?

James 1:2- Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations (AMP).

Prayer: Lord, when our expressions don’t tell the world who you are, remind us again of who you are and what you offer us, for the sake of the Gospel to the world. In Christ’s name. Amen.

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