There is Joy in Serving God
There are times in our lives, even in sorrow or turmoil, when we experience joy in the Lord. There is joy in serving God. The two great commands:
- Love the Lord your God, and
- Love your neighbor as yourself, I am your God,
are not just commands; they bring joy. Love of God and love of neighbor are the vehicles of joy. The Gospel of John, records Jesus saying,
“10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
This means:
- God’s calling requires us to respond in love.
- To love is God’s command.
- When we love, we live in love.
- We obtain joy when we act in love.
- Our joy will be made full.
The Christian life is not sour. If your Christian walk is sour, please re-evaluate your relationship with Jesus, as you likely have some working out to do.
There is Joy in Fellowship
In I John, John expresses his desire for the followers of Jesus to have joy in fellowship,
“3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.” This means:
- John’s fellowship is with God the Father and God the Son. [our fellowship is also with the Spirit of God and the rest of the Church]
- Joy comes from fellowship.
- John’s purpose in writing is for us have joy in fellowship.
God’s Joy in our Joy
Joy is to be sought and sensed in the truth. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth, and the life.” John echoes this joy in 3 John 4, saying
4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
This joy is different than the joy of the recipient. This is the joy of seeing joy come to fruition in another. The idea of Joy in another and God’s joy in us gave me joy today. God has joy in our joy. We have joy in the service of fellowship and to others. There is value and truth in our experiencing joy.
The next time you have joy in the Lord, stop, reflect, and enjoy God’s joy in your joy.
- God exults over us with joy.
- God will engrave you in his love.
- God will rejoice over you.
Zephaniah, a prophet during the reign of King Josiah (476-445 BCE), wrote of the future days of God’s Justice/wrath and God’s salvation. In the day of salvation the prophet saw that God would have great joy in His people.
17 “The LORD your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
The apostle Paul wrote that the day of salvation is now.
2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Isaiah, another prophet, foresaw the joy God would have in His people.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin,
So your sons will marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.
Believing in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead brings us justification. Confessing to others that God raised Jesus from the dead brings our salvation. Salvation causes us to be grafted into the olive tree (Israel).
Return God’s Joy by Having Joy in God
I have never felt comfortable accepting gifts from other people, but I am trying. I realize I rob others of joy when I do not joyfully receive their acts of giving. As uncomfortable as it may be, I realize joy is made full when we humble ourselves to accept gifts of love. The same principle is at work in the ebb and flow of joy. Our joy is in being the hands and feet of God on earth. God enjoys our joy. We need to seek joy, and be a blessing to God.
Joy is a fruit we are meant to bear. Next time you have joy in the Lord, consider God receiving joy in return.