One of the greatest sources of joy in life is the shared experience of helping others in a time of need - whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. This shared experience of joy is multiplied when many join together to make it happen. We have had the privilege of experiencing this shared joy in a recently “resurrected” ministry in our community.

We are in the tenth week since opening “Helping Hands - Healing Hearts” - a joint ministry of Sandpoint area churches - which is helping to fill the void since the closure of “Love, INC” a few months ago. Together we are experiencing the joy God promises when His people work together as One to present a visible and tangible expression of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth! So far we have a dozen committed churches partnering together in prayer, financial and material donations, and volunteers - to help meet the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals and families in the community. More churches and individuals have indicated that they will be joining this partnership in the near future.

The opportunities and responses we have received so far have been both challenging and rewarding, as individuals are not only being offered a “helping hand” with their immediate material needs, but are also experiencing a “healing heart” through classes, mentoring and counseling that deal with the deeper heart-issues of life. The joy that accompanies this healing process is being shared by all those involved!

This present-day experience of shared joy is the same as expressed by the Apostle Paul in his letter to his Philippian “partners”: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (1:3-6)

Paul would then go on to challenge his Philippian “partners” to “make (his) joy complete” by sharing the same heart, mind and purpose in considering the interests (needs) of others above their own: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (2:1-4)

Paul immediately follows this challenge with one of the most beautiful passages in scripture that describes how Christ Himself left the “Uttermost” of heaven to come down to the “guttermost” of earth to live, die and be resurrected for our sakes - in order that we might join Him (and all others who choose to join Him) in the “Uttermost” for eternity! This self-sacrifice of Jesus provides the basis for our present and eternal experience of shared joy. And the more who join in this “Joint Jesus Joy”, the greater the joy! If you haven’t already, we invite YOU to join our “Joint Jesus Joy”!

Pastor Jon L. Pomeroy is pastor at Sandpoint Church of God. He can be reached at 221 S Division Ave., Ste. A, Sandpoint; or by phone at 208-263-6629.