Spotlight 20: Joyful prospects

the christmas spirit and the joyful anticipation that comes with it is something we all know. in the final article in our spotlight series this year—highlighting our 2015 motto—district apostle michael deppner from the democratic republic of the congo shows us the joys that jesus christ has in store for us. “christmas is coming soon.” – “your birthday is in a few days.” – “we will go to visit grandma over the holidays.” – “we will have your favourite local dish tomorrow” (which is fufu, by the way). all of these statements—which fell within the space of a few minutes at the breakfast table—made the smile on our son’s face grow wider and wider. joy was written all over his face at the anticipation of what is to come. in this season of advent we remember and celebrate with joy the promise of the coming of christ. when a bride or groom just thinks about their upcoming wedding day, it makes their hearts beat faster. a mother who feels the developing child under her heart move anticipates the coming birth with joy. it was quite the contrary when christ told his apostles that they would not see him for a little while. i am sure that this news brought sadness. but he did not leave it at that and added, “and again a little while, and you will see me” (john 16: 16). this “little while” with all its difficulties and problems often seems interminable. christ compared these temporary difficulties to a woman in labour: “as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy …” (john 16: 21). after this time, there will be joy, eternal joy, and all the former things—all our problems and difficulties—will not be remembered. we also have joy when we think of completion. joseph haydn composed a beautiful chorus praising the end of the process of creation: “achieved is the glorious work”. our heavenly father grants us this joy of completion here and there: the choir has sung well, a church has been built, some souls have been added to the congregation. after their initial success, the first disciples came back full of joy and told christ about it. his answer was, “nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (luke 10: 17–20). he pointed them to a kind of joy that is less fleeting, one that is lasting. on my travels in my working area i am often struck by the joy of our brothers and sisters. the living conditions are not ideal. they certainly do not have everything they desire. far from it! nonetheless, the congregations radiate joy when we can spend some time together. it is the joy over the fact that our heavenly father has brought us together and the joy over what is coming. he will keep us together in his love, and this is our continued joy. we wait in anticipation of christ’s return and never-ending, eternal joy. photo: ena dr congo.