Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 31 October 2021 Sunday Message
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Topic: From Sorrow To Joy
TEXT: John 16:21-24 (NKJV)
21. “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
- “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
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“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
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“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 31 October 2021 STUDY:
Today’s passage is Jesus’ explanation to the question of and reaction of the disciples concerning His death and resurrection (vv. 16-20). Jesus assured the disciples that surely sorrow would come their way like a woman in labour (Isa. 13:8). But, shortly after His resurrection, they would be filled with joy like that ofa new born baby (vv. 21-22). Here, we should notice that God’s joy to His people is transformation and not substitution. It is the same child that brought pains during labour that transformed the sorrow to joy.
So also the same Jesus through whom sorrow befell the disciples, would transform their sorrow to joy. Jesus also emphasised prayer to the disciples as a means to get greater joy in Him. He opened their understanding on how to pray according to the will of God (vv. 23-24). The collect for today, that is, Trinity XXII, prayed us to always ask our petitions as will please God.
Christians should be aware that there will always be sometimes in our Christian lives when we need to endure hardship, difficulty and suffering. Such times include our periods of sorrow. But after these times, come the periods of joy. It seems Christians are being persecuted now because of their faith, but in a little while, we shall rejoice at last. Also, we should be reminded of the efficacy of prayer in our daily lives. One thing is to pray, another thing is to pray according to the will of God. By so doing, we shall ask God anything in Jesus name, and it shall be granted unto us and our joy will be full.
PRAYER:
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5b).
Daily Fountain Quote of the Day
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:19
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 31 October 2021 Message. The Church of Nigeria is the Anglican church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptized membership, after the Church of England.