Merriam-Webster notes that while in today’s world we relate euphoria with happiness, it derives from the Greek word “euphoros”, meaning “healthy”. In contemporary medicine, euphoria can describe inappropriate or abnormal feelings.
Our teachings and vision of the Church of God as ordained by God are rightfully linked with sobriety, as the foundation of the gospel church was planned by our Heavenly Father. To begin with, a gift of the best that Heaven had was given. His own Son, Jesus. Not only was Jesus “gifted” to sin-cursed humanity. He had to experience the emotions and carry the sins of this world to the cross of Calvary. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, in utter agony, faced the foreboding task. In full awareness he cried to his Father; to our Heavenly Father.
“Saying, ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.’” Luke 22:42. Then in verse 44, it states, “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Just before Jesus yielded up the ghost his cry to the Father was “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ Matthew 27:46
This, friends, is the foundation of the gospel. This was the price it cost. This is the base of the Gospel Church.
Romans 11:22a “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness…”
In Acts of the Apostles, we read how immediately after the stoning of Stephen, as Saul “made havoc of the church” (Acts 8:3), the gospel made huge strides forward. So much so that Saul, the persecutor himself, surrendered to the Power of Christ. He made a most unprecedented switch of allegiance from a raging persecutor of Christ’s followers, to one of the more devoted advocates of Christ.
During this chaos in Acts 8:8 we read “And there was great joy in that city.”
There is no secular writer of fiction who has fabricated a more mind-boggling controversy of events than the truth found in the history of God’s Word. The paradoxes.
Joshua and his crew of spies gained entrance to Jericho, and were provided protection by a woman of ill repute. She, and her family, were spared by the God who destroyed the city of Jericho.
Peter, determined not to succumb to the Roman soldiers’ plot, vehemently insisted he had no affiliation with the man, Jesus, who was begging the God of Heaven to relieve him of the death on the Cross. Afterwards, Peter wept bitterly, and repented of his selfishness, and was forgiven by Jesus. Then the very Jesus whom Peter had denied, used the meaning of Peter’s name as a reference to the “rock” or foundation, on which he, Jesus, would build His church. The name Peter or Petros is a form of the word “petra” meaning “stone” or “rock”.
Saul, who in frenzied urgency spared nothing in an attempt to annihilate the Church, was chosen of God, on the Damascus Road.
To sum up my morning’s thoughts: Does not the compound definition of “euphoric” describe the story of salvation? The left punch-right punch of the truth of God ‘s Holy Word really does leave a person awestruck. We, like Paul and Silas, can sing with our feet in stocks. We can wait, even after the miracle of the earthquake opens the very doors of the prison that once confined us. Can wait for our tormentors and adversaries. Beg of them to do themselves no harm! Point them to Christ. Point them to the visible and invisible Church built on the rock – Petros.
Enthusiasm and Praises to God. Serving Christ with no inhibitions. Refusing to deny Christ.
To the world this may appear inappropriate or abnormal. But to the follower, it conveys happiness and health.
Euphoria and the Church.
