Joy

Joy, I love the word joy!  It was my grandmother’s name, and what a joy she was!  The pastor at her funeral even noted that her parent’s named her correctly.  She touched so many lives with the joy that dwelt within her.  We chose to name our daughter Lydia Joy after her, meaning beautiful joy.  She also is truly a joy!  She can light up a room or steal the show at a dance performance, not by her skill, but by her spirit, her joy.  We see signs with the word joy at Christmas.  People gather together and sing “Joy to the World!”  As I child I remember singing, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!” and I now sing it with my children.  But what does it really mean, joy?

Joy is defined by Dictionary.com as “1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; deep pleasure; elation  2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated  3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.”

After reading that definition, I love the word even more!  I was afraid that the dictionary wouldn’t really be able to capture the meaning, but I was actually impressed how well it was defined.  The only thing missing from the definition to capture the full meaning of true joy is Christ.  Let me edit that definition a little. 

1.  the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by Christ, who is exceptionally good and satisfying; deep pleasure; elation  2. the source and cause of keen pleasure and delight (i.e. Christ) ; Christ, who is greatly valued and appreciated  3. the expression or display of glad feeling from Christ; festive gaiety.”

Now I really like the definition because joy is such a beautiful gift from Christ Jesus, our great God and Savior, who loves us dearly.  He is both the cause and the object of our joy; He is our joy.  I would be amiss to not go to the scripture at this point.  Today I just want to look at some scriptures that use the word joy. 

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

In His presence… I can always be in His presence.  He has given me His spirit.  By simply abiding in Him, I can experience not only joy, but fullness of joy.

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”

Matthew 2:10

There it is, that Christmas joy.  Oh, what joy Christ coming into the world brings!  Immanuel brings joy.

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11

Jesus brought us the way to joy, abiding in Him, in His love, in His joy.  There we have great joy, joy abiding, full joy!

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and

to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25

Did you see that?  He has transferred the joy to us, that from His joy, He might present us with joy.  All praise is truly due him!

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

And sometimes we lose our joy, but it is still there, there at the source.  The giver is the restorer.

“For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.” Psalm 92:4

We find joy when we focus on the giver.

“…And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

And that joy becomes our strength.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Oh, how He loves us!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

There it is again, springing forth from the spirit, joy. 

Joy is ours, freely offered from our Savior.  That is if Jesus Christ is your savior.  If He is not, turn to Him today.  May He take you and cleanse you. 

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” Ezekiel 36:25-27

God is full of love and desires to forgive and set right His children that He might lavish them with His joy.  That is reason for joy!

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:8-11

Now, let’s go forth with joy.