Joy
Rejoicing is a common theme in the
Bible. Joy is in God’s nature. He delights in the world he has made (Genesis 1,
Proverbs 8.31). In the Psalms often the natural world itself rejoices. People
too are often pictured rejoicing, usually for obvious reasons. They have been
rescued from danger (Exodus 15.20) or restored to their own land (Isaiah
65.18). But we also find people rejoicing when, objectively, there seems to be
nothing to rejoice about. Mary “rejoices
in God” (Luke 1.46) when she hears she is to bear the Messiah, despite the
fact that, as an unmarried woman, she faces social disapproval and rejection
because of it, and knows that her son’s life will never be plain sailing. Paul and Silas sing hymns of praise in chains
in a Roman prison (Acts 16.25) “Rejoice
in the Lord always,” he later writes, again from prison (Philippians 4.4)
on another occasion.
There is, or should be, nothing
dour or cheerless about our faith, even when things are not going smoothly.
That doesn’t mean that we have to go around with a grin plastered on our faces
when we don’t feel like it. The joy that God gives isn’t superficial happiness,
which is dependent on things going well, but a deep knowledge that we are held
securely in his hands whatever happens to us.
·
When did you last feel real joy, and why?
·
When did you last feel joyless, and why?
·
“Cheer up, it may never happen?” How does it
feel when people try to cheer you up like this? Why is it such an irritating
and unhelpful thing to hear?
·
Pray: for God to reveal his joy to you today,
and enable you to bring genuine joy to someone else.
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