The Happy God: Tracing Joy's Roots
1000.
That's about how many times joy is either commanded or commended in Scripture.
Perhaps surprisingly, this means that joy is commanded or commended four times more often than reverence (yes I've tabulated both). Don't misunderstand: I'm not pitting these two against each other as if one is better than the other. Indeed Christians are to be always marked by both. Theirs is to be a reverent joy and an exuberant fear--similar to the frollicking reverence that Susan and Lucy tasted with the recently risen and suddenly roaring Aslan (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)
The point I'm making is that while reverence is to be constant and while (as long as we live in a sin and sorrow cursed world) tears will be ever present, joy is to prevail. We are to be reverent and sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10; Philippians 4:4).
And might I suggest that one reason why this joy is to be so pronounced in us is because it is so present in God? I've counted up 90+ biblical references to the joy, the pleasure, the delight, and the blessedness of God! More than 90! Luke's two-volume history mentions God's happiness on several occasions: Luke 3:22; Luke 10:21 (see footnote); Luke 12:32; Luke 15:7, 10, 22-32 (where Jesus chooses a feasting, singing and dancing party image as a metaphor for the joy of heaven's God when sinners repent).
God is the happy God, blessed and pleased in all He is and does, and sharing that joy with us (for any wanting to look deep into the happiness of God, I recommend heartily John Piper's The Pleasures of God, and Sam Storms', The Singing God). God is so content in Himself and so sure of the outcome of all things that He is "blessed (i.e.-happy) forever" (Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 6:15).
Neither space nor time permit further development of this soul-awakening reality. I leave it to you to flesh it out in reflection and study. But here's one implication for life: since the Bible clearly teaches that we become what we behold, might I suggest that one of the surest ways to become full of joy is to behold with steady gaze the One Who is so filled? We can do few things more transforming than to gaze at the happiness of God and all that makes Him happy, if we would be happy ourselves.
While God grieves sin and weeps over the Jerusalems of this world, His tears are the tears of pure sorrow and compassion, not of fear or helplessness or defeat or weakness or despair. His are the tears of One Who is fully assured of full and final victory in all things, and of great good even in and through the grief. Joy triumphs over sorrow in God every time.
That's why He sings and breaks out the tamborines whenever a sinner repents and one more part of His perfect plan falls into place. And that's why He wants us to do likewise, even when life hurts. Weep? Yes. But always rejoice. Why? Because God does.
That's about how many times joy is either commanded or commended in Scripture.
Perhaps surprisingly, this means that joy is commanded or commended four times more often than reverence (yes I've tabulated both). Don't misunderstand: I'm not pitting these two against each other as if one is better than the other. Indeed Christians are to be always marked by both. Theirs is to be a reverent joy and an exuberant fear--similar to the frollicking reverence that Susan and Lucy tasted with the recently risen and suddenly roaring Aslan (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe)
The point I'm making is that while reverence is to be constant and while (as long as we live in a sin and sorrow cursed world) tears will be ever present, joy is to prevail. We are to be reverent and sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10; Philippians 4:4).
And might I suggest that one reason why this joy is to be so pronounced in us is because it is so present in God? I've counted up 90+ biblical references to the joy, the pleasure, the delight, and the blessedness of God! More than 90! Luke's two-volume history mentions God's happiness on several occasions: Luke 3:22; Luke 10:21 (see footnote); Luke 12:32; Luke 15:7, 10, 22-32 (where Jesus chooses a feasting, singing and dancing party image as a metaphor for the joy of heaven's God when sinners repent).
God is the happy God, blessed and pleased in all He is and does, and sharing that joy with us (for any wanting to look deep into the happiness of God, I recommend heartily John Piper's The Pleasures of God, and Sam Storms', The Singing God). God is so content in Himself and so sure of the outcome of all things that He is "blessed (i.e.-happy) forever" (Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 6:15).
Neither space nor time permit further development of this soul-awakening reality. I leave it to you to flesh it out in reflection and study. But here's one implication for life: since the Bible clearly teaches that we become what we behold, might I suggest that one of the surest ways to become full of joy is to behold with steady gaze the One Who is so filled? We can do few things more transforming than to gaze at the happiness of God and all that makes Him happy, if we would be happy ourselves.
While God grieves sin and weeps over the Jerusalems of this world, His tears are the tears of pure sorrow and compassion, not of fear or helplessness or defeat or weakness or despair. His are the tears of One Who is fully assured of full and final victory in all things, and of great good even in and through the grief. Joy triumphs over sorrow in God every time.
That's why He sings and breaks out the tamborines whenever a sinner repents and one more part of His perfect plan falls into place. And that's why He wants us to do likewise, even when life hurts. Weep? Yes. But always rejoice. Why? Because God does.
Labels: Affections, christian life, Joy, Religious Affections
posted by Tim Shorey at
6:52 AM
2 Comments:
Scott led us to Psalm 32 last Sunday as he prepared us for the Lord's Supper. "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."
The psalm closes with a contrast between the wicked and those who trust in the LORD: "Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD."
We are then commanded to " be glad.. rejoice.. and shout for joy!!"
I'm wondering why we do not experience more celebratory shouting in our worship. It seems to me people have more expressiveness about the victory of a football game than they do the victory of the cross; more excited about a newborn baby than about their own rebirth.
It seems to me when we are gathered as believers this is the time of all times to lay aside the sin and sorrows of the world and to enter into glad hearted worship of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Maybe when we experience more gladness, more rejoicing and more shouting in worship, we will experience more joy as we live our daily lives. Maybe then we will find the balance scripture speaks of when it says, "sorrowful yet always rejoicing."
Just wondering...
We must bring those around us into this joy also. As the priest of this home, I really ought to initiate more times of corporately beholding our joyful God together. I want my home to be filled with joy, and with praise.
And praise leads to joy, and chases away the devil. I love Luther's words: "The devil, that proud spirit, cannot abide praise." And so, the oppressor flees when we fill our homes with praise and prayer!
We do affect each other in the home. Family members can drag one another down. It's not easy to maintain your joy when someone close to you is struggling. But I have the responsibility in this family to set a tone of joy, and lift up others who are drooping under the weight of daily life. I need to do better at this... be more of an initiator, and less of a responder.
And thank you Gayline for your comment... and for your example of joyful worship. I am often moved by the unbridled joy you show. Thank you for worshiping the Lord without fear of man. I'm not there... but then, I don't get terribly expressive over football victories either.
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