Joy!

   Almost any person who went to Sunday School as a kid can remember the song, The Joy of the Lord. You know which one I mean; it ends with doing that slightly psychotic hahahahahahaha-haha thing at the end. It's supposed to simulate laughter but when we all do it we sound like bored robots. Lately I've been pondering what the joy of the Lord really means and I feel like that song really diminishes the truth of real joy. Plus, I just wanted it stuck in your head like it's been stuck in mine!

   First I had to figure out where the idea actually came from, like was the phrase "the joy of the Lord, is my strength" an actual verse or just some cutesy phrase that Christianity can be known for making up. Turns out it is an actual verse! Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” -Nehemiah 8:10(NIV). This one tiny phrase from a much bigger verse has been made into almost cannon for the Christian faith! But there has to be more to this than a simple almost prepositional phrase, what is the backstory? It's actually quite simple: the Israelites had just rebuilt Jerusalem's walls and Ezra was reading the Book of the Law of Moses to all the people for the first time back in Jerusalem. They had been in captivity for 70 years and this was the first time they were hearing the Law taught to them in probably about the same amount of time. As they heard it they began to mourn and weep so this was Nehemiah's response to their sadness. But for me the second verse below it packs more punch in explaining a little bit of joy. Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. -Nehemiah 8:12(NIV). They were filled with joy because they understood the Law, they were now knowledgeable about how to fulfill the Law! So it's possible to say that joy means the knowledge of God.

   When we say the joy of the Lord is our strength does that mean that joy is something maybe a little stronger than just a good feeling or a fun laugh with friends? Could it be stronger? Bold power and glorious majesty are wrapped around her as she laughs with joy over the latter days. -Proverbs 31:25(TPT). So many people use Proverbs 31 as a way to describe the attributes of a Godly woman and it's true; however this could also be used as a way to describe what the church should be as Jesus's bride. I love how this Scripture states joy as an action! As she laughs with joy, power and majesty are wrapped around her; a spiritual transaction is made. This is no Bride with her head hung in sadness or terror! No, she is strong, unafraid, and ready to take on whatever comes because she is wrapped with bold power! Now to be nice I'll even use a more masculine example. But as for me, Your strength shall be my song of joy. At each and every sunrise my lyrics of Your love will fill the air! -Psalm 59:16(TPT) David wrote this after Saul's men attempted to assassinate him. Somehow I don't see David bent over mumbling these words because he didn't "feel" particularly joyful that day. I can imagine him shouting it aloud in praise over God's protection and faithfulness. In fact in the rest of the Psalm, David re-iterates in every verse how he will proclaim his song of joy to the Lord. It doesn't sound like a sunny day only experience; it sounds like the proclamations of a man who knows that his power doesn't come from how he feels but from the source of his joy.

   Now I'm not knocking some traditional Sunday school song; it's fun for little kids and an easy concept to explain and build upon. But that's the key, it needs to be built upon because if we believe that joy is just a happy feeling, state of mind, or humor; we limit ourselves in our connection to God and His operation in our daily lives. Most Christians love to state that we are saved even when we don't "feel" it but boy, do we operate on our feelings when asked about joy! I don't mean this harshly or derogatorily in any way to others; this is something I'm just discovering myself. And as I begin to get more understanding of the deep truth of joy, I begin to realize that of course satan wants us to base our joy on our momentary feelings. Because he knows that there is a power in the true joy of the Lord that he cannot overcome, stop, or destroy. And if for nothing more than to set him back, to attack him, to thwart his nefarious plans in our's and others lives, we should crave God's joy daily. Go have a wonderful week and be filled with the joy of the Lord!