I hope you won't mind if I delay the how to gain more joy posts for another day or two so I can connect us first to a few more thoughts regarding joy; thoughts touching on how joy is expressed in God's house in heaven, and in God's house on earth.
One thing I have learned is that joy needs to be expressed, and that often with exuberance, both in order for it to be biblical, and in order for it to be maximized. I think it was C.S. Lewis who observed that joy is not complete until it is expressed. We see this in our irresistable human urge--whenever we experience something happy or joyful--to tell someone about it. Joy is maximized and completed when it is released into the ears and hearts of others. This is worth pondering.
What is even more worth pondering is that biblical joy is consistently visible, outwardly manifested, and talked and sung and danced about. This is true even in God's eternal house, heaven itself. We know that joyful singing is the sound of heaven, joined in by all present, even by God, with a loud voice (Zephaniah 3:17; Hebrews 2:11, 12).
I think a pretty good case can be made that the joyful singing of heaven is attended with dance as well. I would base this case first on the general biblical encouragements we have to include dance in worship (e.g.-David's model in 2 Samuel 6:14, plus Psalm 149:3 and 30:11), and second on two descriptions we have of heaven's joy.
The first is in Luke 15 where in the story of the prodigal son returned home, we see the young man's father (who represents God, the One who welcomes repentant sinners home) throwing a huge party complete with music and dancing. Since Jesus' point in this and the preceding stories of Luke 15, is to show the joy of God and of heaven when sinners repent (see Luke 15:7, 10), there is at least good reason to conclude that every time a sinner comes to Christ, heaven breaks into celebration! The joy of heaven is loud, celebratory and effusive.
This is further supported by another text in Revelation 15:2-4 where we read that the inhabitants of heaven will sing Moses' song. What's instructive about this is that Moses' song which followed the deliverance of Israel from Egypt (found in Exodus 15:1-21) is in fact the Old Testament's most well known dance song (Exodus 15:20, 21)! That's one of the songs chosen for heaven.
If the Israelites could not help but sing and dance when delivered from Egypt into the promised land, how much more will heaven's throngs not help but sing and dance when delivered from hell into God's eternal home! So at the very least the Bible seems to connect joyful singing and dancing to heaven at least these two times.
So I conclude that for joy to be complete it must be expressed, and for joy to be heavenly and heaven-like it must be expressed exuberantly and effusively. We will see that this conclusion matches up with actual imperatives as we move forward tomorrow.
Of course we would be going too far to say that joy must always be effusive, but we would not be going nearly far enough if our joy is never or not very often effusive. Part of God's will that we are to pray is done on earth even as it is in heaven, is that our joy be so strong, so real, and so free, that it gets released in loud singing and celebration on earth, even as heaven's joy is.
And folks, take it from me (a guy who was as conservative and restrained as anyone--I was actually trained and taught not to be expressive because emotion was seen as dangerous and unspiritual): all of us can gain such a level of joy in God that we can learn to sing loud, and do at least a little leaping and dancing for joy.
Are we all ready to aim that high?
Tim, in this kind of discussion, I'm often left wondering how one's temperament factors in. Is it that my joy isn't full enough to be effusive and physically expressed? That may be the reason I don't dance. OR, is it that my joy manifests differently? Are we all Davids?
ReplyDeleteIf I ever peered down the church row and saw my Matthew dancing, It would seem to me such a change of temperament that I would almost worry (he is an exaggeration of my own melancholy and reserve).
Honestly, I don't know how to feel about this. Do you simply tell people to move, sway, or leap? Is it a command to be obeyed, or a natural reaction to be displayed. I can't just "go through the motions." I don't know when the last time was when I felt the kind of joy that would make me dance? Or perhaps it's just pride?
Even when the Red Sox took 4 straight games from the Yanks, yes, I was happy, but we didn't do a victory dance in our living room.
Tim, not trying to be difficult here. It could be I'm missing something (maybe is just JOY I'm missing). I hope I'm not beyond the place of knowing deep joy.
I look forward to seeing the scriptural imperatives you mention. I know they are there. If it is simply a matter of obedience, then I must dance and move... or at least raise my hands in worship (but that's a little different).
What I'm wondering is basically this: Must joy always be expressed outwardly? Is someone less joyful, or less obedient because he weeps for joy instead of dances for joy?
Honest questions Tim, not trying to contradict.
Hon, When in history did the church lose this joyful, effusive, demonstrative worship described and commanded in both old and new testaments and become serious and staid?
ReplyDeleteVery good and fair questions Peter and Gayline.
ReplyDeleteI do think that temperment and skill will affect the ways joy is expressed. Let me be clear that I do not believe everyone should or ever will express joy precisely the same way.
In Scripture there are numerous ways joy is expressed: loud singing (that does NOT have to be on key!!), clapping, shouting, playing of instruments with skill and volume, dance, lifting hands, weeping.
What is important I think is two things: first, that we actively and intentionally cultivate the highest possible levels of joy; two, that we find a way to actually express it.
I will argue--if space allows--that since humans are spiritual and physical beings, both have to be engaged in worship for us to be loving God with all our strength.
Our praising joy should spill over in an energy in worship that really leaves us tired at the end--because we've given God everything we have!
I would also maintain that it is faith stretching and enlarging to go after spiritual practices and habits that are beyond our present temperment and style. As said in my blog, while I'm not as expressive as others, the level of expressiveness I do have is a mighty big stretch from where I once was. Anyone who knew me when young would be shocked at what I do now, and would have thought it impossible.
I have great faith for all of us. And I really believe--and this is one reason why I sometomes will press this point--that because we are spiritual and physical, our worship and joy will actually increase as we endeavor to engage both. I make these points precisely because I love people and want their joy to become more full through the means of physical expression.
As for Gayline's question, I cannot say for sure, but as time went on even in the early centuries of the church, worship quite quickly became more of a spectator event performed by the clergy and choir than a congregational event offered by all. With this of course the people became passive and disengaged.
The Reformation began a recovery of worship by the people; a reformation I think that is still continuing today as the recovery of what Joshau Harris calls "impassioned orthodoxy" continues.
I was speaking with someone on Sunday who had for the first time in faith toward God allowed herself to physically enter into worship. She was sharing with me how liberating and satisfying it was for her. She said for the first time she experienced worship with heart, mind and strength. She also shared how once she began to physically express her love to God, her heart became more engaged in worship, so that the mind engaged her heart which engaged her strength which engaged her heart which engaged her mind which engaged her strength.......
ReplyDeleteSounds like what you are describing Tim.
a general standard that i keep in mind is:
ReplyDeletenot everything every time, but every thing at some time, and some thing every time.
the range of physical expression of joy and worship in Scripture is so broad that there is, i would say, always an appropriate physical expression. it could be standing, sitting, kneeling, shouting, raising hands, jumping, dancing, silence, etc. but there is always some appropriate physical response to truth. whatever our physical posture, it should be a deliberate one.
peter - i'm like you. when the red sox took 4 straight, my natural response is nothing more than a fist pump. but, to enter into the joy of my family, i expressed more. like my dad, my natural expressiveness in worship is historically little to none. what you see me doing on a sunday AM was initially an act of obedience that eventually took hold of my heart and mind. my dad would verify that my natural bent is towards quietness, stillness, and melancholy. but now i have frequently felt frustrated that there are not even more ways to physically express joy. there's a "problem" i never anticipated!
a challenge that i'd offer is that when we do not feel the level of joy that merits a physical response, sometimes we can and should lead our emotions rather than following them.
just a few thoughts to toss into the mix.
This is all helpful, thank you. We aren't saying, however, that the tail should wag the dog, right? When a dog is "joyful" his tail begins to wag... a God designed response. The dog doesn't think, "hey, I feel happy, I think I'll wag my tail." And when a small child spontaneously jumps for joy over his Christmas gift, it isn't because someone explained to him that this is the appropriate response-- it is spontaneous and natural.
ReplyDeleteAgain, not to be contrary, but, when Tim W. says we should "lead our emotions" I'm not totally sure what that means. Emotion is a response, isn't it?
Similarly, Tim M., when you write: "I make these points precisely because I love people and want their joy to become more full through the means of physical expression." I think I understand, but does joy become full through expression? Or does expression become full because of joy?
Be patient with me... I do want to understand this, and have my thinking corrected if it is off.
Once again these are key points and questions being discussed.
ReplyDeleteI would say the perhaps strange thing that I do believe that expressiveness is both the effect and the cause of emotion. It expresses what's already there, and it helps to create what isn't. Perhaps it would be helpful to think of it in terms of another emotion to be expressed in worship: reverence.
One way to express reverence in worship is by kneeling, another is a period of silence, another is the lifting of the hands in humble willingness to receive from God.
Take kneeling. there are times I kneel, not because I'm feeling particularly reverent, but precisely because I'm not, and because I know I should be. And when I kneel, the posture speaks to my emotions, and causes a change of heart.
Kneeling positions the body in such a way that the emotion/religious affection follows. This is a way I think that we need to lead our emotions rather than follow them.
I think that because we are physical/spiritual the two affect each other, assisting where the other is slack or in need. Sometimes my affections cause my body to respond; sometimes my body causes my affections to respond.
The goal should be to worship(whether ie reverence or exuberance) with the totality of our being by making these two serve each other.
Thanks Tim. I too have experienced times when it seemed needful to take a posture of reverence, and have found myself aided in doing so.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried that with joy yet.
Great discussion!
ReplyDeleteJonathan Edwards wrote "no more heat than is justified by the light, and no less heat either".
Of course, we must recognize that as a result of our less than fully perfected state(perfectly justified, not perfectly sanctified), we are in great need of adjustment in our light and heat connection, aren't we?
I so look forward to worshipping with you all, who are sincerely and truthfully gong after God and HIS JOY!
In His Joy,
Tom Coughlin
Interesting interlocutory catechetics. I am convinced that we all tend to default to early development and parental example in the expression of laughter, crying, expressiveness etc. I remind myself that the "sins of the fathers are visited upon the third and fourth generations". My father was stern and only laughed or expressed sarcasm when he was drinking too much. My sons are so much like their father, that it scares me. Peter, I had to be honest and ask myself if perhaps there was sin in my life that kept me from "feeling" more joy. After an honest search and confession of any known sin, I came to the conclusion that this is not the reason. I do what I do, more often than not, because I have always done what I have always done. I learned my ways of expression from non Christian parents. I need to seriously ask God for grace to know how to express biblical emotions, such as joy, sorrow, etc., within the body and spirit that God has custom made for me. I am not so concerned about how others express their emotions. (I only remember reading of David dancing on one very unique occasion.) Often I have been distracted by others in worship and on several occasions, almost slapped in the face by inconsiderate "worshippers" who have had their hands in my face, almost aloof to their surroundings. (not at TFC)These "sins" of being inconsiderate to those around them are no worse than my own sin of being annoyed by them. As for me, having read these last several blogs on joy, I am convinced that I need to be honest with God and confess that I may not know how rightly to be expressive in the midst of the people of God. I do believe that there is a time for everything and a season in the providence of God that may bring more of one and less of another emotion for us as individuals, but as T'Dub put it, there should always be something of all emotions.
ReplyDeleteJust as we may have much remaining corruption in our lives as fathers, husbands and men, I am convinced that in our expressive experiences, there is much short circuited wiring in us that the grace of God, both in teaching and by example, can be restored to what God intended. This blog and the example of many among us, including our Pastors, serves us well, as we seek to honestly confront these truths. I too, have many questions left unanswered. I intend by the grace of God, not to let my questions get in the way of the persuit of obediance in this area. My thoughts.......
JR
It is wonderful---it truly is, to be part of a church, and to have such brothers (and sisters) who love the Savior and are comitted to Him and to living fully under the authority of His word as is evident in these discussions. And how thankful to God we should be for the wise, Biblically faithful pastoral counsel that Tim (along with our other pastors) engages us and challenges us with, that is so evident also in his (their) shepherdng and leadership. I wonder if we realize how truly blessed we are?
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, Tom, good to hear from you! Thought you had vanished.
Thank you JR.
ReplyDeleteI too want to be obedient... yes, even if it feels uncomfortable. I could wish to be more like David, the man after God's heart.
Michal despised David for his "undistinguished" behavior, even mocking the king, suggesting he was "vulgar." But God was not displeased with his physical display of deep joy. It was real, it was natural and it was unforced.
I was in a church where a couple of free spirited, unhindered individuals would make their way through the aisles during the singing. My wife was distracted by this, and I remember thinking, "how can I bring my neighbor here?"
I surely do not want to over-analyze this (as I can tend to do).
The answer may be very simple... it may be that I do not know the kind of deep joy that would make me want to dance like David... and that is a problem I need to address.
I have decided to go incognito-- After careful consideration, I will now post my comments under disguise... as a real cool dog.
ReplyDeleteI thought the expression was "cool cat". I must be showing my age.
ReplyDeleteJR
Incredible conversation!
ReplyDeleteA new post has been made.