Overwhelming Joy | Ed’s Inspirations
November 24, 2020
While on a prayer walk around our downtown Chilliwack core I saw our beautiful Vineyard Building, artsy, very orange and I felt a surge of Joy. I felt thankful for my connection to this locale, knowing that this community has become precious to me. Consider Joy, one of the fruits of the Spirit. God asked me what my relationship was to Joy. Not my book knowledge or my wordy definition, but my experience of joy, my heart position. A few years ago I sat for a year with the word Joy..... with mixed results. I experienced some dissatisfaction for sure. The other day I was listening to a piece of music and I was reacquainted with a hidden longing for Joy. An amazing deeply piercing arrow of Joy overwhelmed me. In that moment it called me over, nay, shouted "you want that". Desire is a beautiful thing!
For me Joy presents a paradox, is joy relevant and appropriate in view of the reality of suffering, acute pain and injustice. It somehow feels extravagant or even frivolous. For some it feels too good to be true or perhaps we feel we don't deserve it. For me it's too easy to settle for pleasure that masquerades as joy but is a poor substitute for it. Why should we be joyful?
Consider this, God is the most Joyous being in the universe and beyond. How can that be? I'm not entirely sure.
John 15:11, NLT: "I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy, Yes your joy will overflow"!
John 17:13, NLT: "I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy".
It may be challenging for us to adequately express gratitude and joy for salvation and His many blessings but we may be even more limited in our understanding of Joy as His essence. He possesses Joy, it is His very nature.
Megan talked about us as image bearers. Wow! That is so rich on so many levels. When we reflect Joy we declare God to the world. We make a declaration that God is love and joy, that His intentions towards the human race are restoration and redemption. Isn't it energizing and encouraging when we meet someone who bubbles with joy. It is inspiring and hopeful and healing. I think that's because God is the Father of Joy. We are His and He loves to give us Joy. When we live in Joy we reveal something that is hidden, something that this fallen world needs and wants but that is covered by busyness, by poor self worth, even by responsibility, and by our view of God as punitive. Joy is a hallmark of the new creation, of the Jesus follower. Can our life be destined for ecstasy, sublimity and harmony....I'm genuinely puzzled by that question because of the suffering in this world!! This is too good to be true! Often we think of holiness as morality, as lack of sin, as don't do this or that. When the Spirit who is a revealer shows us that Joy is a holy activity we are free to step into it, to live it! And we are invited again and again back into that Joy.
We can't just decide to live in Joy (it may help though). However we can daily seek the one who stands at the door of our heart. Open the door and He will come in and be with us. I know there is a whisper of longing in each heart, it is an invitation to come back into that joy. Joy is a result of our connection to Him. That would be my prayer for the Chilliwack Vineyard.
Last thoughts:
Nehemiah 12:43, NLT: Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.
I love that! Could, should that be the Chilliwack Vineyard? I can picture a fellowship of believers united in thanksgiving and joy, whose prayer is to be part of bringing the kingdom of God to earth as it is in heaven. There is no hand wringing and despair in heaven but rather the fullness of joy!
- Ed