Joy. This is a tough one. As a Christian I should be joyful, can be joyful and want to be joyful. But I’m just so much better at being miserable!
Recently while laying in bed ready to drift off (the best time of the day!) I actually felt content, blessed and joyful. In that moment all was right, all asleep, all healthy…just good and right. I think it’s been a long time since I felt that. And I was thankful to the brim.
I listened to this podcast today about Christian Joy. It does a much better job with this subject than I would so you should listen to it.
But here are some thoughts.
Why can I be joyful? Because:
“God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my limbs, my reason, and all my senses, and still preserves them;
in addition thereto, clothing and shoes,
meat and drink, house and homestead,
wife (husband!) and children,
fields, cattle, and all my goods;
that He provides me richly and daily with all that I need to support this body and life, protects me from all danger, and guards me and preserves me from all evil; and all this out of pure, fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I owe it to Him to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. This is most certainly true.”
Martin Luther
11 minutes into the above podcast the host asks: I summarize “With joy comes the rightful enjoyment of the things that God gives freely in Christ. Does God intend us to actually enjoy these things?”
I’ll state right now, I’m guilty of NOT enjoying God’s daily good gifts. There are some very unpleasant things about my days and till I’m sinless in Heaven I’ll always be inclined to point out the negative, complain, get angry and feel sorry for myself. But God in His mercy forgives me all these things! And I’ll keep asking God to forgive me and help me to be more full of joy, thanks and love.
And I’ll hopefully always enjoy the goodness of HIS gifts; of a fresh cup of “good” coffee, a few scoops of Blue Bell ice cream when I get it and the first hearty chuckles of a new baby.
And always remember: When we pray “Give us this day our daily bread”
What does this mean?–Answer.
God gives daily bread, even without our prayer, to all wicked men; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it, and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What is meant by daily bread?–Answer.
Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, homestead, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful magistrates, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.
And when it seems that all these things are gone I pray God would give me joy in knowing that forgiveness, life and salvation are still mine in Christ. And one day I’ll no longer have to ask for joy. That’s definitely something to be joyful about!
I count you as one of my many joys in life. Thanks for reminding us that true joy is a gift from God.