Fullness of joy

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16: 11 NKJ

Can you imagine what fullness of joy is like? Can you imagine overflowing with joy, so wonderful, so amazing that it feels like you’re going to burst?

Joy like that is found in God’s presence because God is a joyous God. He is not as Dallas Willard says, ‘a morose and miserable monarch, a frustrated and petty parent or a policeman on the prowl.’  Instead ‘he is the most joyous being in the universe. The abundance of his love and generosity is inseparable from his infinite joy.’

Eagle Nebula - 6 trillion miles top to bottom

There can be times when we gaze at something in nature – a beautiful bird or exotic fish, a breathtaking mountain or seascape and we are filled with wonder and joy. God continuously looks on these things and much else besides. He sees the extent of the universe he created, those incredible images of nebula, pulsars, stars and planets. He hears the music of the stars and he sees us and takes joy in our stumbling steps of faith, wonder and adoration of the indescribable Creator of the unimaginable creation. No wonder God is a joyous being.

If anyone ever gets a glimpse of heaven the one thing they all talk about is the love and joy they experienced. It was so marvellous they didn’t want to return and the reason it was so marvellous was because of the manifest presence of God – all loving and full of joy.

God wants us to abide in his love which brings great joy. There are too many Christians who are miserable. However the world does not need Christians who walk in a superficial temporary happiness but those who abide in the deep joy that comes from spending time in his presence.

The joy of the cross

.. fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

I am sure we are all familiar with this well known verse and when I read it my focus has always been on persevering and running a good race like Jesus. I have never really thought before about the joy that Jesus experienced or focused on as he endured the cross. It seems impossible for Jesus to experience or anticipate joy when facing the cross.

I believe that is because we only focus on our side of the cross; sinful man saved by a perfect Saviour. Wonderful though it undoubtedly is, the perspective of the cross from God’s viewpoint is quite different.

I do not know if you have ever enjoyed a relationship or friendship that was just wonderful but then it went wrong. For some reason, the relationship was broken and you no longer enjoyed the fellowship that you once had. This can cause grief and an enormous heaviness of heart especially if the one you no longer have fellowship or relationship with is a son, daughter or other family member.

God created man and woman to be with him, to walk with him, to love and be loved by him and the relationship went wrong, it was broken.  God yearns to enjoy that level of fellowship, friendship, relationship again with Man.  God loves us; the pain of separation caused by sin must be intense. I would hate to lose relationship with any of my children or grandchildren and I would do anything to try and restore that relationship.

In some infinitesimal measure that must be how God feels.  Jesus was prepared to do anything to restore relationship with sinful man – anything – including giving up his glory, confining himself to being a man and then dying the sinful, shameful death of a criminal in order to deal with sin and its consequences once and for all. He didn't do it because he had to do; he did it for the joy of seeing fellowship restored with his precious people. 

The joy God feels in restoring relationship is intense. He knows we will be together for eternity. He can love us face to face and he knows the joy we will feel in being able to see and love him face to face forever. The joy of having us as his children overwhelms God’s heart.

Not convinced?  Look at Song of Songs 4:9, Zechariah 3:17, Psalm 17:8 (apple of his eye), Exodus 19:5 (treasured possession) to name but a few. Just imagine Jesus taking you in his arms and dancing around with you, full of joy that you are his. ‘It’s finished!’ he cries, ‘nothing can ever separate us again.’

It was the joy of restored relationship that took Jesus to the cross. I believe that with thankful hearts, God wants us to revel in that joy and  rejoice in God’s love. 

God has a sense of humour

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls I Peter 1: 8 – 9

Today I needed to hear from God and God, who never fails to surprise me, spoke to me through a song which just made me laugh. The way he did it was so light and amusing and lifted off my earnestness and made me realise again what a great sense of humour God has.

Now for some this is bordering on the heretical because there is nowhere in the Bible that says that. There are few references to God laughing but these are God laughing at his enemies for their presumption and arrogance. There are no references to giggling, chuckling, smile, humour, amusement or anything else but there are many references to joy and cheerfulness.  I think it is impossible to feel joyful or cheerful without laughing, smiling, giggling and so on - all the words not found in the Bible.

We are made in the image of God and we have a sense of humour so I am convinced God does. There are times I have sensed a divine chuckle and today’s episode for me definitely came with humour!  I cannot imagine Jesus did not share some amusing situations with his disciples. How can you have fellowship with anyone or love anyone without enjoying a joke and laughing at some point? That must include God!

I want to know God as much as I am able so I have resolved to know more about God’s sense of humour and find out the things that amuse him.

All creation worships you

In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.  Isaiah 4: 2

You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.  Psalm 65: 11 – 13

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth Psalm 96: 11 – 13

Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Psalm 98: 8 – 9

Sing for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees,
for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel. Isaiah 44: 23

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;  the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55: 12