Chasing happiness? Living 'injoy?'

“Jesus has a table spread, where the saints of God are fed … come and dine!” With those words of an old Gospel song, the Spirit awakened me this morning.  It was the Spirit’s invitation to JOY at 5 am.  There is pain in abundance in my life right now but God offers me (and you!) the opportunity to sit down with Him, to be renewed and to experience joy.  To experience His joy, we must let go of what we want and embrace where we are and what God offers us in the moment – fully.

Do I like cancer? No, I do not.  Do I like living with grief daily? Not at all.  But, I will, with God’s help, choose joy. I will not wait to live and love, I will love where I am, in ways that are opened to me in my present circumstances.  Some of my dreams have been crushed. This is not a time in life when I see every desire fulfilled. However, the Holy Spirit invites me into contentment, and in that, to find a joy that is beyond description.

Many of us, even who claim to belong to Christ and to be filled with His Spirit, do catch glimpses of that joy. Have you known any of these moments?

The beauty of Fall foliage, splashed with vivid reds, yellows, and oranges, captivates us and, for a moment, time stands still. 

A child looks us straight in the eye and the purity of their gaze melts our self-consciousness, washing us with delight.

We encourage another and feel God’s approval. Life is whole, if only in that instant.

Love finds us; in a song, with a tender word, and we know why we exist.

We can live in that wholeness more consistently, Christian, if we will live ‘in the Spirit.’  This life is not to be confused with the perfection of a religious system.  Jesus taught us that the abundant life of joy is an overflow of the Spirit’s Life inside of us. “It flows,” He said, like “rivers of living water from within!”   The full context of that promise is: "Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.” (John 7:37-38, NLT)  The offer stands! Today, we can live as children of God and know the fullness of His joy. We faithfully receive a life gifted to us in grace, not one achieved by strenuous discipline, denial of the reality of our life, or pretending.

Are you chasing happiness? It’s such a common temptation. We are so certain that if can just acquire that thing we want or take that trip we saw advertised or enjoy some sensual pleasure – then we will be happy. And, we may be, for a moment. Happiness is a good thing but it quickly comes and goes.  The ‘new’ becomes ‘old’ and something else captivates us with the promise of relief from life’s drudgery. Joy is a state of being, a gift of God. We cannot earn it, buy it, or hold onto it. We simply accept it and “in joy” it!

"When I was prosperous I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, “What will you gain if I die, if I sink down into the grave? Can my dust praise you from the grave? Can it tell the world of your faithfulness?" (Psalm 30:6-9, NLT)

"You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!" (Psalm 30:11-12, NLT)

Christian you can waste this day wishing for happiness or you can accept the offer of joy.  Here is a word from the Word. It is the inspiration of that old Gospel song lyrics that awakened me today. Let’s take His invitation. "Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!" (Revelation 3:20-21, The Message)

_______

Jesus has a table spread

Where the saints of God are fed,

He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;

With His manna He doth feed

And supplies our every need:

Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!

“Come and dine,” the Master calleth,
“Come and dine”;

You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;

He Who fed the multitude,
turned the water into wine,

To the hungry calleth now,
“Come and dine.”

Soon the Lamb will take His bride

To be ever at His side,

All the host of heaven will assembled be;

Oh, ’twill be a glorious sight,

All the saints in spotless white;

And with Jesus they will feast eternally.

-          Charles Widmeyer, Public Domain