“Joy is Here to Stay”

“In Your presence is fullness of joy!” Psalm 16:11

                                                                                                                                               

        One song I used to sing as a younger person went something like this: I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart (where?), down in my heart (where?), down in my heart; I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, down in my heart to stay.” It demanded a robust sound, almost to the point of being overly loud. I suppose it might have even been obnoxious to the less-joyful ancient ones in our midst…lol. Anyway, the song was fun to sing and was intended to remind the younger ones gathered that joy was a paramount reality in the journey of faith.

As can be the case, however, when it was time to do some “serious adulting” the exuberant joy of youth could dissipate like morning fog. Not that joy was eliminated, but it was more seasonal than a constant reality—too many hurtful, shameful, overwhelming, anxious, experiences became the joy-robbers nobody wants to encounter.

One important fact cannot escape our notice: joy is important to God. What joy would God have experienced when he ended each day of creation with “that’s good, I like that?” How about walking with His creation in the cool of the day (I’m thinking here of Adam and Eve), simply enjoying the presence of the two main guests of Eden? Obedience brings Him joy, don’t you think, as well as repentance and restoration? Lest we forget, Hebrews tells us that Jesus set the course of his life directly into the teeth of that death machine called the cross with joy (12:2).

Now it follows that if joy is important to God, then it should be equally important to us, His redeemed children and whole-hearted followers. And the Old Testament bears witness to this fact. I found it interesting that the writers of God’s Book used a variety of words to describe this truth: joy as a reality and experience; joy as a celebration; joy as victory (like I imagine what the Superbowl attenders experienced); joy as delight in a special object (what grandparent wouldn’t burst at the seams when holding their grandchild???). It’s all inclusive: emotion and activity, verbal and non-verbal, loud and quiet—but all reality and experience associated with an intimate relationship with God.

Therein lies a key to joy—it is embedded in relationships. In fact, it cannot exist outside of relationships.  Let me repeat that: you and I cannot experience the joy God Himself delights in outside of relationships! Gods design is clear: if we are to experience the joy that is important to Him, then we must experience deep and meaningful relationships with Him and with others who follow hard after Him. It is the matrix intended to bring about spiritual health and maturity.

How is this joy in relationships best communicated? The answer: through your face! Your face is the primary transport mechanism of joy. Here is a great example: David wrote in Psalm 16:11 this tremendous promise, and in your presence is fulness of joy. Dig deeper and you will discover that the word “presence” is literally “face” in Hebrew. Therefore, it is better to read it like this: in your face is fulness of joy.

Or how about the great blessing that God wanted His people to communicate with each other in Numbers 6:24-26—The Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you; And be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace. When God’s face shines on His people, they experience a joy that cannot be acquired any other way. Additionally, God’s countenance is “looking directly and personally at you with pleasure and affirmation!” Let that soak in: God wanted His Old Testament people to know that He looked directly and personally at each individual with pleasure and affirmation. Joy “par excellence”!!

Moving on to the New Testament, we have a record of Jesus’ words concerning joy in John 15. The reality of a deep and abiding relationship with Christ yields a joy that cannot come any other way. He wanted His followers to own His joy, a joy that is utterly satisfying (the intention of the word “full” in verse 11 is a oy which reaches its ultimate reality and experience in the believer’s life).

How do you feel knowing God looks directly and personally at you? What is your response to knowing that He takes satisfying pleasure in you?

Blessings on the Journey, Pastor Dewayne