Joy in the Morning

Life mixes sadness and joy. The one tempers the other, so happiness is not constant and sadness is not permanent. We may do well then to speak of joy since happiness depends on what “happens.” But joy overrides what’s happening and follows the hard knocks that come. Furthermore, anticipating joy strengthens present endurance, “For the joy that was set before him, Jesus endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2).

Observing the bread and wine illustrates the point and affirms our convictions about it. On this day of resurrection, we observe the emblems of the crucifixion—joy after sadness. We say several things at once, including our confidence that there will certainly be “joy in the morning” for us if he could anticipate it in his waning hours. So we take these emblems in light of the rest of the story: “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”