Joy is something that transcends emotion. It isn't just a feeling. I'm not even sure someone can merely "feel" joy. That is so because joy isn't so much what one feels as it is where one dwells. A person who feels happy can be absolutely joyless. A joyful person may not find him or herself in a happy situation. Joy is a place, a destination, which we arrive at and abide in according to the formation, favor, and forgiveness of God. That is what we are going to look at this week as we consider how the Lord has promised His people in joy.
Luke 1:46-55 records Mary's song (often called the "magnificat," draw from the first word of Mary's song in Latin as she magnifies the Lord with her praise). At one point in the canticle Mary said, "...my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant." This is both a reflection on Mary's willing response to God's call to bear His Son and a reflection of the grace of God as it was worked out in the life of His servant, Mary. The result of the working out of that grace was joy for Mary and her response of rejoicing. As the Lord works in and through us by His grace, we too respond with rejoicing, knowing that we are blessed by His formation, favor and forgiveness. Let today be one in which you dwell in God's comfort, peace, presence and, above all else, joy, such that you too can respond by magnifying the Lord with your praise.
JOY For the joy set before Him – completing the plan of Redemption -- Jesus endured the Cross. For the joy of bringing the Savior into the world, Mary endured the humiliation, the rejection, even the threat of stoning. For the joy of seeing Jesus STANDING to meet him, Stephen endured the stoning. For the joy of an imperishable crown, Paul endured multiple afflictions, and the final “pouring out as a drink offering”. For the joy of seeing Jesus face to face, countless martyrs through the ages have endured the harshest, unimaginable bodily abuse. For the joy of the promise of exceeding great and precious promises, we endure our momentary LIGHT afflictions.
John was not the light; he came to bear witness to the light. "There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light." (John 1:7-8) We, too, are witnesses to that light., The light that shines from within us is not our own. We are not its author any more than we are the author of our faith. That light is a gift, given by the light of the world, Jesus Christ, sealed in Him through the Holy Spirit of promise. One of the ways in which that light is evident in and through us is the joy with which we live our lives. Dr. Vic wrote of this joy in the comment just above. It is a joy founded on the rejection and suffering of Jesus, Mary, Stephen, Paul, and countless others. That is true, as Dr. Vic pointed out, for us as well. Like Paul, we "...consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18) We wear the mantle of rejoicing, no matter our circumstance, because we have received a promise of the glory that will be revealed to us which was obtained through the suffering, death and resurrection of our Savior. "...and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory," (1 Peter 1:8) Such joy, such unspeakable joy!
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) How can we rejoice 'always' and pray 'continually'? The answer is to understand Paul's admonishment as an attitude as much as an action. When life happens, we can choose joy. We can choose prayer. That happens by being aware of and dwelling in God's presence. How will you choose to rejoice this season?
"Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises. Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, With the lyre and the sound of melody. With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the Lord." (Psalm 98:4-6)
Songs of rejoicing are common in the book of Psalms. The authors repeatedly call upon God's people to rejoice. In Psalm 98, that rejoicing is a response to the deliverance Israel found through the Lord. The proper response to salvation, the psalmist wrote, is rejoicing. When this Psalm was written, the Lord had remembered His loving-kindness and His faithfulness to the people who belonged to Him; all the ends of the earth had seen the salvation of our God. That is no less true for us this morning, and our response is rejoicing, knowing that we our hearts have been formed by the Lord, we have found His favor and are furnished with His forgiveness. The result is rejoicing as we dwell in the joy prepared for us from the foundations of the earth. Rejoice and be glad!
Happy Sabbath! May you "put on" joy today, and "may God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
Joy is something that transcends emotion. It isn't just a feeling. I'm not even sure someone can merely "feel" joy. That is so because joy isn't so much what one feels as it is where one dwells. A person who feels happy can be absolutely joyless. A joyful person may not find him or herself in a happy situation. Joy is a place, a destination, which we arrive at and abide in according to the formation, favor, and forgiveness of God. That is what we are going to look at this week as we consider how the Lord has promised His people in joy.
ReplyDeleteLuke 1:46-55 records Mary's song (often called the "magnificat," draw from the first word of Mary's song in Latin as she magnifies the Lord with her praise). At one point in the canticle Mary said, "...my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant." This is both a reflection on Mary's willing response to God's call to bear His Son and a reflection of the grace of God as it was worked out in the life of His servant, Mary. The result of the working out of that grace was joy for Mary and her response of rejoicing. As the Lord works in and through us by His grace, we too respond with rejoicing, knowing that we are blessed by His formation, favor and forgiveness. Let today be one in which you dwell in God's comfort, peace, presence and, above all else, joy, such that you too can respond by magnifying the Lord with your praise.
ReplyDeleteJOY
ReplyDeleteFor the joy set before Him – completing the plan of Redemption -- Jesus endured the Cross.
For the joy of bringing the Savior into the world, Mary endured the humiliation, the rejection, even the threat of stoning.
For the joy of seeing Jesus STANDING to meet him, Stephen endured the stoning.
For the joy of an imperishable crown, Paul endured multiple afflictions, and the final “pouring out as a drink offering”.
For the joy of seeing Jesus face to face, countless martyrs through the ages have endured the harshest, unimaginable bodily abuse.
For the joy of the promise of exceeding great and precious promises, we endure our momentary LIGHT afflictions.
John was not the light; he came to bear witness to the light. "There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light." (John 1:7-8) We, too, are witnesses to that light., The light that shines from within us is not our own. We are not its author any more than we are the author of our faith. That light is a gift, given by the light of the world, Jesus Christ, sealed in Him through the Holy Spirit of promise. One of the ways in which that light is evident in and through us is the joy with which we live our lives. Dr. Vic wrote of this joy in the comment just above. It is a joy founded on the rejection and suffering of Jesus, Mary, Stephen, Paul, and countless others. That is true, as Dr. Vic pointed out, for us as well. Like Paul, we "...consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18) We wear the mantle of rejoicing, no matter our circumstance, because we have received a promise of the glory that will be revealed to us which was obtained through the suffering, death and resurrection of our Savior. "...and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory," (1 Peter 1:8) Such joy, such unspeakable joy!
ReplyDelete"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) How can we rejoice 'always' and pray 'continually'? The answer is to understand Paul's admonishment as an attitude as much as an action. When life happens, we can choose joy. We can choose prayer. That happens by being aware of and dwelling in God's presence. How will you choose to rejoice this season?
ReplyDelete"Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
ReplyDeleteBreak forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
With the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
Shout joyfully before the King, the Lord."
(Psalm 98:4-6)
Songs of rejoicing are common in the book of Psalms. The authors repeatedly call upon God's people to rejoice. In Psalm 98, that rejoicing is a response to the deliverance Israel found through the Lord. The proper response to salvation, the psalmist wrote, is rejoicing. When this Psalm was written, the Lord had remembered His loving-kindness and His faithfulness to the people who belonged to Him; all the ends of the earth had seen the salvation of our God. That is no less true for us this morning, and our response is rejoicing, knowing that we our hearts have been formed by the Lord, we have found His favor and are furnished with His forgiveness. The result is rejoicing as we dwell in the joy prepared for us from the foundations of the earth. Rejoice and be glad!
Happy Sabbath! May you "put on" joy today, and "may God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
ReplyDelete