FreeTruth

I hope you won't mind if I delay the how to gain more joy posts for another day or two so I can connect us first to a few more thoughts regarding joy; thoughts touching on how joy is expressed in God's house in heaven, and in God's house on earth.

One thing I have learned is that joy needs to be expressed, and that often with exuberance, both in order for it to be biblical, and in order for it to be maximized. I think it was C.S. Lewis who observed that joy is not complete until it is expressed. We see this in our irresistable human urge--whenever we experience something happy or joyful--to tell someone about it. Joy is maximized and completed when it is released into the ears and hearts of others. This is worth pondering.

What is even more worth pondering is that biblical joy is consistently visible, outwardly manifested, and talked and sung and danced about. This is true even in God's eternal house, heaven itself. We know that joyful singing is the sound of heaven, joined in by all present, even by God, with a loud voice (Zephaniah 3:17; Hebrews 2:11, 12).

I think a pretty good case can be made that the joyful singing of heaven is attended with dance as well. I would base this case first on the general biblical encouragements we have to include dance in worship (e.g.-David's model in 2 Samuel 6:14, plus Psalm 149:3 and 30:11), and second on two descriptions we have of heaven's joy.

The first is in Luke 15 where in the story of the prodigal son returned home, we see the young man's father (who represents God, the One who welcomes repentant sinners home) throwing a huge party complete with music and dancing. Since Jesus' point in this and the preceding stories of Luke 15, is to show the joy of God and of heaven when sinners repent (see Luke 15:7, 10), there is at least good reason to conclude that every time a sinner comes to Christ, heaven breaks into celebration! The joy of heaven is loud, celebratory and effusive.

This is further supported by another text in Revelation 15:2-4 where we read that the inhabitants of heaven will sing Moses' song. What's instructive about this is that Moses' song which followed the deliverance of Israel from Egypt (found in Exodus 15:1-21) is in fact the Old Testament's most well known dance song (Exodus 15:20, 21)! That's one of the songs chosen for heaven.

If the Israelites could not help but sing and dance when delivered from Egypt into the promised land, how much more will heaven's throngs not help but sing and dance when delivered from hell into God's eternal home! So at the very least the Bible seems to connect joyful singing and dancing to heaven at least these two times.

So I conclude that for joy to be complete it must be expressed, and for joy to be heavenly and heaven-like it must be expressed exuberantly and effusively. We will see that this conclusion matches up with actual imperatives as we move forward tomorrow.

Of course we would be going too far to say that joy must always be effusive, but we would not be going nearly far enough if our joy is never or not very often effusive. Part of God's will that we are to pray is done on earth even as it is in heaven, is that our joy be so strong, so real, and so free, that it gets released in loud singing and celebration on earth, even as heaven's joy is.

And folks, take it from me (a guy who was as conservative and restrained as anyone--I was actually trained and taught not to be expressive because emotion was seen as dangerous and unspiritual): all of us can gain such a level of joy in God that we can learn to sing loud, and do at least a little leaping and dancing for joy.

Are we all ready to aim that high?

Labels: Affections, christian life, Heaven, Joy, Religious Affections

It hit me yesterday that everything breaks or rusts or corrodes or wears out. Now you say that this is no real groundbreaking insight, and I readily admit it. But think about it: we live in a world where nothing apart from God and what's done for God lasts.

In the past couple of months, here's some of what's broken or worn out at the 52 Clayton Ave. Shorey homestead: fans have fallen and broken, truck brakes have worn out and been replaced, van "Service engine lights" have gone on for who knows what, teeth have developed cavities and been filled, fences have rotted, tires have flattened, bench supports have come unglued, nails have bent, weed-wackers have frozen in mid-use, lawn mowers have needed repair, pipes have sprung leaks, paint has been marred, toothbrushes have worn out, bulbs have blown, thumbs have scarred, footbones have gone out of joint, couches have ripped, hoses have sprung leaks, pens have run dry, shirts have stained, shoe soles have torn off, shoe-strings have snapped, backs have strained, knees have creaked, necks have ached, arms have hurt, heads have pounded, wood stoves have taken a beating, dishes have shattered.

This is not to mention the hundred things that need constant care, like: hair needing cutting, dishes needing washing, clothes needing laundering, floors needing sweeping, grass needing mowing, oil needing changing, ad infinitum (hey I got some Latin in but it's probably not spelled right since I didn't check my Latin dictionary).

Now I now that you know all about these things; after all you have had to fix them all yourself (ad nauseum) this past month or two. There's nothing new or unique here. We all live in the same fallen and broken world.

Jesus warns about securing our hearts to the stuff of this world since it never lasts (Matthew 6:19-21), and He challenges us to treasure the things that are above.

Stop and think about all you've had to fix lately, and let it affect your goals and aspirations. Don't set your heart on anything, and I mean, not anything here below. It's not worth it. It'll always break apart, wear out, or die away. That's not pessimism or negativism; it's healthy realism that helps us lift our eyes to that which matters most and lasts forever.

Set your hope and love in God, alone.
Period.

Labels: Contentment, Heaven, Hope, Materialism