And the redeemed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with joyful shouting, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Isaiah 35:10 NASB2020
Have you ever been in love?
You know the feeling. The feeling you get when you’re in the presence of your beloved. It doesn’t matter if you have any money, or anything to do, just being together is enough. Nothing else matters. That feeling is joy.
Happiness is based on circumstances. Joy is rooted in relationship. Joy comes from your identity as someone who is loved. Children know joy. God’s children know everlasting joy.
You will make known to me the way of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalms 16:11 NASB2020
The joy of the Lord is our strength. What does that mean? It means that the joy that Jesus has is ours, and that gives us the ability to endure any circumstance with joy. Why is Jesus filled with joy? Because He knows He is God’s beloved.
After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17 NASB2020
Jesus loves His Father and obeys His will perfectly. This pleases the Father who loves Jesus perfectly. Jesus and the Father are one. By faith, we enter into this union of love. A time will come when this love will be made manifest and all things that oppose the love of God will be destroyed.
Until that time comes, we soldier on in this broken world with love, joy and peace in our hearts. We are in Christ. Nothing can separate us from His love. That’s the source of our joy. We are God’s beloved.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NASB2020
Father in Heaven, restore to us the joy of our salvation. May everlasting joy crown our heads. Amen.
Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:9-11 NASB2020
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