. . . absorbing the Almighty's energy . . .

The past two days I've been thinking about joy. My family has taken up hiking and biking on a regular basis during this time of social distancing - and this weekend I leaped over muddy oases on the path, and looked into the dense overgrown trees, and breathed in the damp smell of the earth and my heart rested. At that moment, my whole body and mind were at peace. There was this deep satisfaction that radiated through me.

It occurred to me, this is joy. 

I always thought joy would feel like those butterfly moments - you know the ones. The ones that you get when you go on that first date. The one you get when you go over that first hill on the Mamba. 

Those physical moments are fleeting, though. And perhaps joy is fleeting, but I think deep down joy is a fount we can return to when life is not so wonderful.

Joy is a groundedness in the source of our being, God. (I love Paul Tillich so this is not an original thought!). 

With my feet on solid ground, my lungs taking in the sweetness of the air - I took a moment to rest in God's presence. 

I didn't ask God my petitions.

I didn't ask God to speak.

I stood in the presence of the Lord and absorbed the Almighty's energy. 

That's joy.