REJOICING IN GOD

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." (Romans 5:8-11)

Devotion 2 of 4 GOD HAS MADE HIMSELF KNOWN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!

This is the point of Paul's discourse in 2 Corinthians 4. "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." It is a glorious Gospel because of its revelation of God. After all, Jesus is "the brightness" of God's "glory, and the express image of his person" (Hebrews 1:3). He is an exact representation of God, precise in every detail. When we behold Him as "altogether lovely" (Song of Sol. 5:16), we are being introduced to the Father Himself. That is something of what Jesus meant when He said, "He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). Thoughtful consideration of Christ will confirm His relationship to joy. Mary exulted in the Lord when she received the news that she would give birth to Him (Luke 1:46-53). Holy angels rejoiced when He was born (Luke 2:13). Godly men and women rejoiced to hear of His birth (Luke 2:25-32). Those who truly heard His words were glad to hear them, calling them "gracious words" (Luke 4:22). His words opened heaven to men's consciousness. They revealed a God in quest for man.

A RATIONAL JOY

There is a fleshly, or carnal, joy: one that inhibits spiritual progress. It is seen in the first reaction of the apostles to the resurrected Christ. "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?" (Luke 24:41). They were so exhilarated to see Him in the body, that the significance of His resurrection escaped them. I am afraid that a lot of religion is like that today. It is more soulish that spiritual; more of earth than heaven. It is also short-lived, and will not sustain the soul. There are large religious bodies whose entire system is built upon this type of joy. It is real, but not real enough. It is effective, but not effective enough. It relies upon pumping people up emotionally, not building them up spiritually. I would not say that there is no place for this sort of joy, but it is secondary, at the very best. The joy of the Lord is produced by our faith. It comes from what we know, not from what we feel. Valid and profitable feelings are produced by valid and profitable considerations. That is what I mean by rational joy. It is intelligent, involving the highest part of men and women. It comes when we love God with "all our mind" (Mark 12:30). Here is a wonderful consideration; our meditations of God challenge our minds, and yet they produce joy in the heart. This is unique to the faith-life. In the intellectual world challenging considerations make for somberness, and sometimes even moroseness. They rarely produce gladness. It is not so, however, the the glorious Kingdom to which we "are come" (Heb 12:22). PRAYER POINT: Father, deliver me from spiritual shallowness in every form. In particular, give me grace to rejoice in You Yourself with a joy unspeakable and full of glory.

--TOMORROW: JOY IS PRODUCED BY GOD --