06/14/2019
When you worship are you joyous, and lifted up, or do you approach the throne off God in tears, and sadness? When you sing hymns are they morose, or do they reflect the immense pleasure, and majesty you find in God? Being humble before God does not imply a lack of joy, it actually frees us to rejoice in Him, because we realize who He is, and that we are His children... His minions.
“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Psalms 37:4 KJV
When we are children we live in our parent’s house. If they are good, Godly, and loving parents, then that house is filled with joy and laughter, but for some children their earthly home is a sinister and frightening place with abusive parents... filled with discouragement and sadness. The incredibly wonderful news is that our God is good, and in Him we find unlimited love, and joy. In our Heavenly Father’s house we find security, comfort, and the freedom to be children... to be happy and leave our cares to Him. We don’t love God because we must, but rather, we love Him because it is our greatest pleasure to do so.
“I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”
Psalms 16:8-9 KJV
Charles Spurgeon wrote of how our faith should be delightful, and in it we should find joy in the Lord. I find his words to be uplifting, and I use them to fortify myself in scripture...
“We don’t fear God because of any compulsion. Our faith is no shackle, our profession no slavery. We are not dragged to holiness or driven to duty. No, our devotion is pleasure, our hope is happiness, our duty delight.” - Charles Spurgeon
We weep in our circumstances, and this is as a result of the suffering in the world, but when we come before God, and sit at the feet of Jesus, our cares and burdens are lifted away, and the joy of being a child returns to us in trust, hope, and joy.
So often we become ensnared by the suffering of Christ, and we lose sight of the fact that His suffering was brought upon Him by the world, but our joy is that He doesn’t live in perpetuity on the cross, no, He arose, and He ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of God... and He will return for us. This is our great joy.
“And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:10-11 KJV
I have long wanted to walk the pilgrimage route in France and across Spain known as the Camino de Santiago, and have read many books, and watched several documentaries that showed the pilgrims as they made this journey. They seemed to make this trek in many different ways, and for various reasons; some were seekers who were looking for greater meaning in their faith, or life, some were hopeful and needed a miracle, some wanted to rejoice in their relationship with Christ, and then there were those who wanted to suffer as they sought a closer walk with Jesus. Thus, represented amongst these pilgrims were the lost, hopeful, the joyous, and even the suffering.
As I watched and read about these seekers, I felt different levels of empathy for each person as they made their spiritual journey, but I felt great sadness for those who sought Jesus in personal suffering. It is true that Jesus suffered, and that He did so immensely, but that wasn’t the goal of God’s will for Him... the pinnacle of the crucifixion of Christ was in His resurrection and ascension... this is where our hope and joy reside. This was the ultimate will of God... our redemption, and our joyous return to Him.
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV
So as we worship it is appropriate that we remember the suffering of Jesus, but our concentration should be on His passion that overshadows the pain with the victorious will of God that was lived out through Jesus... not His torturous death, but our joyous redemption! This is how we have returned to our Father’s house... as celebrant children.
“And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:2-4 ESV
So be the child in worship, the humble, the naive, the happy, and joyous. Squirm on the pew in anticipation of the coming Christ; laugh and giggle at the feet of an adoring Father, and believe in Him without the walls that an adult mind constructs to protect us in a frightening world. Trust in God, and look to Him in all things... be happy as you greet your Father with a child’s unbridled embrace.
“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."”
Matthew 19:13-14 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for loving me like a child, and for instilling in me the joy, and unbound trust and hope that a son or daughter has for a loving Father. Thank you for the security I find in your arms, and for Jesus Christ who came for me when I was lost. Thank you for His willingness to suffer for me, but most of all, thank you for His resurrection, and ascension... His defeat of death, and sin, which had kept me a slave to the world. Thank you for releasing me to dance, and be joyous before you. I pray Holy Father that you will find pleasure in my laughter, and smile as I run about your court. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who has brought me home to be your treasure, and great joy. Praised be your name my God, who reveals Himself to children and makes grown men to be as boys once more. All glory is yours in us, your children, and in the joy of our worship towards you forevermore.
“In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”
Luke 10:21 ESV
Rich Forbes