Give me Joy

May 2, 2013

One day when Van and I were dating, as he drove away from my Mom and Dad's house, my dad noticed the tire cover on the back of his pathfinder. It said, "Life is Good." I'd never really thought much about it, as the "Life is Good" logo had become fairly popular among my generation, and you could see it on mugs, t-shirts, or hats regularly. But my Dad noticed it and said something to the effect of, "That's pretty much his attitude all the time, isn't it?" And for the first time maybe ever, I paused to realize that Van had the gift of happiness. I think it was a turning point in our relationship. Where I had before seen his happiness as almost a silliness, in the seconds that followed, I recognized that his happiness was really a joy that was contagious and that I was a better person because of it.

In several of my more recent posts about the fertility road that I have been on, I have mentioned how that I am grateful for the experience because I can clearly see how I have changed for the better. I've used words like, "storms", "trials" and "journey" to describe my experience... but one thing I think I have failed to mention is the possibility to have joy despite the uncertainty. Maybe I've failed to realize it as "joy" because I have only recently realized that possibility myself.

Recently while talking with my Dad about my frustrations (not so much about fertility this time, but rather my job), he began to describe the people in Haiti that he worked with for several years on a monthly basis. He had watched them living in poverty and heartache yet full of pure joy. He encouraged me to realize that joy was something that could surpass a surrounding or an experience. It was from within... and could be attained despite circumstances. Joy isn't necessarily happiness... actually I think happiness is a by product that comes after joy. Joy is the peaceful release of contentment.

This morning, while reading the Bible before work, I came across a note by Eugene Peterson (in the translation "The Message - Conversations with it's translator" which includes some of Peterson's notes in the side margin) that said the following:

"Go back as far as you can in prerecorded history, back to the dawn of the universe and there you'll find joy. The creation is characterized by celebration (Job 38:7, Proverbs 8:22-31). Turning to the time of the New Testament, Christ was characterized by joy (John 8:29, 15:11). In the parable of the prodigal son, heaven in the present was characterized by joy, feasting, music, and dancing (Luke 15:11-32). Finally, looking forward to the future, John shows us a picture of heaven (Revelation 10:6-9). It will be a feast where the people shout, "Let us celebrate, let us rejoice" (verse 7). 

The story of faith begins and ends in joy. And in between, there is joy. Joy permeated Pauls life, especially in the place you would have least expected it - in prison (see the book of Phillippians). For more than twenty centuries, Christians have been exhibiting joy. There have been sad, even morose, Christians to be sure. But the ones who have inspired us have been marked by joy. In fact, when the Roman Catholic Church looked for reasons to canonize a Christian as a "saint", one of the standard qualifications was the evidence of "hilaritas", a Latin word that means "cheerfulness, good-humor, joyousness, merriment, hilarity." In other words, they had to be joyful people capable of laughing, praising, and celebrating, which is what rankled the Pharises about Jesus (Matthew 11:17-19; also compare Luke 15:1-2 with verse 32). Jesus was certainly a man of sorrows, able to enter into the grief at a funeral, but he was also a man of joy, able to enter into the merriment of a wedding (compare John 11:1-35 with 2:1-11).

Like Paul. Like Jesus. And like the people in 1 Chronicles 29 (where this note is found...). Anyone who gets in touch with God, gets in touch with joy. All true joy is derivative. It doesn't orginate from the world. It doesn't originate from us. It originates from him. and when we get close to him, it rubs off. 

Prayer:

Dear Lord of all that can rightly be called joy

Draw me so close to the Source of that joy

that it would rub off on me.

Help me to live an exuberant life,

full of laughter and song,

feasting and dancing,

the fellowship of good friends,

and the joyful anticipation of meeting new ones.

Help me to celebrate every gift that comes from your hand,

whether the holy sacrament of Scripture or the holy sacrament of sex.

Give me a grateful heart, O Lord,

wonderfully, cheerfully, hilariously grateful.

And though I may never become a saint,

may I ever celebrate like one.

I have so much to celebrate, Lord.

As I close my eyes to reflect on some of those things, 

bring a smile to my face.

No correct that. Bring laughter..."

I really loved these thoughts today... I love that God has been creating in me to a more joyful heart for years even if I didn't see the exact work going on. I love that he knew what kind of husband I would need... to help me reach this spot in my life. And I am grateful to be able to have found a joy that gives me the ability to say, as the writer of Habakkuk says in Habakkuk 3:17-19: 

Though the fig tree does not bud

    and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

    and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

    and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

    I will be joyful in God my Savior.