11/12/2024
Yesterday we spoke of the unpleasant task of discipline within the church, so today I am contemplating a more upbeat and pleasing topic... joy and rejoicing. We tend to think of God in a more serious light, but did you realize that he sings for you?
“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 KJV
I have always found it interesting that when people think of the day Jesus was born they picture the angels appearing to the shepherds in song, and yet, in everyday life they envision God as being stern and unyielding. Both of these presumptions are wrong. If you reread Luke 2:8-20 you will find no mention of singing, but as we just read in Zephaniah... God sings in joy over us. Sometimes we fear Him when we should trust, and we remain reverent and silent when we should lift our voices and hands to Him in praise.
We also tend to think that joy and rejoicing imply that we are in times of great happiness... that isn't necessarily so. Our joy comes from God and isn’t simply personal happiness. Let's read two wonderful pieces of scripture that describe this:
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Habakkuk 3:17-18 KJV
“Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.”
2 Corinthians 7:4 KJV
So what exactly is joy and how important is it? Joy is a gift from God. Paul writes that it comes from fellowship with the Father and the Son, and in Proverbs we learn that it is a byproduct of peace.
“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
1 John 1:3-4 KJV
“Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.”
Proverbs 12:20 KJV
As to the importance of joy, it is listed second only to love in spiritual gifts. I don't know if these gifts were intended to be listed in a certain order of importance, but it is at least noteworthy.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”
Galatians 5:22 KJV
And as for the word itself, Joy is used 88 times in the Old Testament and 57 times in the New Testament... it appears in 40 different books. Pathos.com defines it this way:
"Joy is an emotion that's acquired by the anticipation, acquisition, or even the expectation of something great or wonderful."
When we read these many references to joy we must conclude that they do not come by happenstance or mistake... God intends for us to have great joy and in abundance.
“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
Isaiah 55:12 KJV
In everything in life we should find joy because in everything there is the anticipation, and presence of God. He is our expectation of something great and wonderful. Our Holy Father is the hope in things unseen and the amazing glory in those we see. He is truly our joy and our reason for rejoicing. So whether we suffer, or find ourselves happy, we should look at whatever life brings us and find joy there… because God doesn’t just give us joy as a gift, it is truly who He is, and we receive itt when we receive Him. Are we doing this? Are we experiencing God in all things?
Prayer:
Thank you Father for being near us at all times, and letting us experience your joy in every circumstance we find ourselves in. Father, we rejoice and celebrate the joy we find in you. We revel in the sound of your song as you sing it over us. The mountains, hills, and the rocks sing of you, and from them returns the echo of your voice in song to us. How then Lord could we ever be despondent when you, the God of all creation, abides in us, and shares your joy with us? Praised be your name and great are you our Heavenly Father. Help us as we increase in prayer, faith, love, and the joy that only you can pour out upon us. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God in whom we find joy and peace in all things, every situation, and in abundance, regardless of our suffering and tears, happiness or laughter. Holy are you who is the essence of love, and the very presence of joy. Praised be your name for making our joy your desire, and our love the foundation of our relationship with you. Hear our moans, and taste our tears of sadness, but teach us of your joy in them. See our smiles, and relish our laughter knowing your joy is there in them also. Abba, it is you who makes life bearable; bearable in the good and bad times, whether we are in the loving company of others, or alone with you. Help us Father to ward off the sadness, depression, and despondence, that Satan would like us to wallow in. Turn our faces towards you, and show us that your joy is our shield, and your peace has defeated Him. Let us turn to you, and in you find joy, hope, relief, and protection against his spears and arrows of hopelessness that he hurls our way. Let your presence be our joy, your joy be our hope, and our hope be your love for us… and ours for you. In all things, storms and celebrations, hear us singing joyously to you, and in harmony with your song for us. In our joy we pray that you take pleasure… knowing that we love you, and seek eternal joy and life in your presence.
Great is our hope in you Father, and great is our joy as we abide in your presence… Amen, Amen, Amen.
“Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.””
Nehemiah 8:10 ESV
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:11 ESV
“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:9-14 ESV
“and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’; then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. He sings before men and says: ‘I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’”
Job 33:24-28 ESV
Rich Forbes