my joy — John 17:9-19 — February 24

As Jesus anticipates His suffering and death, we would not expect to hear Him talking about joy.  We would more expect to hear Him described as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).  And yet, the writer to the Hebrews reminds us Jesus, for the sake of the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, disregarding its shame…  (Hebrews 12:2).  As is so clearly evident from the events of Easter Day and beyond, sorrow, grief, and suffering are not the last words in His Life, nor are they intended to be in ours.

In this His prayer to His heavenly Father, spoken on the night before He suffered unspeakable pain and grief, Jesus indicates that He intends for His followers to have His joy in themselves:  I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves  (John 17:13).  It is Jesus’ intention that His joy is fulfilled in us, that we are meant to have His joy in us and flowing through us.

Some modern translations sometimes render the word “joy” for “happy”.  There is a huge difference.  As the second word indicates, “happy” has to do with what “happens”:  if things are going well, I am happy; if not, then I am not.  But joy is that characteristic of confidence in God and in the life that He gives me which enables me to rise up above my circumstances, and to rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4) even when things are not going well.

So, do you have His joy in you?  Notice that it’s not something that you manufacture; it’s something that you receive.  And it has something to do with what Jesus says to you in His Word and in His Spirit precisely at those times when happiness fades.  Ask Him to give you His joy today; allow it to override the temptations to despair which are all around us; allow it to impel you forward as you deal with suffering and pain in your life, particularly in your battle against sin; and then enjoy the fulfillment of His joy in you and in your world.