For The Joy Of The Lord....(Just A Thought)

This "Just A Thought" session will be on the Joy of the Lord. What, according to the Bible, brings us the joy of the Lord? Well, let's begin by looking at what the scriptures have to say about joy:

"Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy." 1 Chronicles 15:16. No question from this verse we find that true joy comes in praise of God. In Bible times there was a special group of Levites specifically assigned to play the instruments in the tabernacle/temple. In context, the Ark of the Covenant had been captured by the Philistines. Can you begin to imagine the Israelite's sorrow over that? Eventually, the Israelites were given it back because of the plague God brought upon the Philistines, and it was placed in the house of Obed-Edom. Now David was on his way to retrieve the Ark and bring it back to Jerusalem, and he instructed the Levites to grab the instruments and lead the people in praise of God. What joy there was! So obviously, true joy comes from praise of God, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to have found that true in my life.


"....Yet many shouted aloud for joy...." Ezra 3:12 Imagine; the temple was destroyed, the Israelites had spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon, and now, they returned and rebuilt their temple! The Bible says that some wept, for the new temple was not to be compared with Solomon's temple, but some shouted for joy! So obviously, when we see what God has done, we have no choice but to be joyful! Many times we tend to get discouraged because it doesn't seem like God even cares...but when we take a moment and count our blessings, we become thankful and have renewed joy! So true joy is rejoicing over what God has done.

"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."  Psalm 30:5 So joy is a gift from God to us.

"Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy." Proverbs 12:20 "For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good...." Ecclesiastes 2:26. So joy is for those who obey God.

 

How then shall we live?:

 

Joy. We often fight for joy and search for efficient ways to find it. The beach on a summer Saturday, a drive up the coast, a sinful lifestyle. We fight for joy, but never find it. Why? Because we do all these things without the Lord. He is the only one who can give us joy. The book of Nehemiah clearly states that "the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10), so without the Lord there is no true joy, but when we hand our lives over to Jesus, he gives us the joy that we so often fight for.

God bless!

~E-Sharp