God is both joyful in and of Himself as well as the source of our joy. Nothing makes God joyful; His joy is not conditional upon anything external to Himself, thus His joy is constant and total.

The Triune God rejoices in His own existence. The persons of the Trinity have joy in one another. The Father takes joy in the Son[1]; The Son has joy in the Father; it is the Holy Spirit’s joy that causes our joy.

“The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). I always thought of the joy referred to here as the joy which God gives, and so it is. I now realize this does not say quite enough. It is also the joy which God possesses and experiences. God gives us joy because He is joyful. He is the source of joy, just as He is the source of love, of truth, of mercy, and so on. Joy is both a description of God and a description of what He gives.” [2]

He rejoices in his Creation.

God’s joy is so great, so infectious, that even the Creation itself enters into, reflects and speaks of His joy:

The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.[3] Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;…let the field exult, and everything in it!…Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.[4]

Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills sing for joy together.[5]

God rejoices in the redemption of His people.

I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.[6]

God shares His joy with His people.

“In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”[7]

 

VIRTUE BIBLICAL INDICATOR VALUES
JOY “I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them.” John 17:13 Contentment

Thankfulness

Enthusiasm

We see that the joy that comes to us is a consequence of the joy that is God the Father; made available to us by the actions of the Son and made True for us by the witness of the Spirit.


Contentment thus becomes a mark of our community life. Joy transcends circumstances and is not conditional upon any other factor than God’s joy. We can be at peace.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.[8]

 

Our relationships both within the community and beyond are undergirded by thankfulness; a recognition, that the joy of the Lord is our strength.



We are to be people of enthusiasm. Joy motivates us; joy is infectious; joy is to be shared. We will have contentment, gratitude, and enthusiasm that says my Creator is Joy – He has created me in His image.


Blessings





[1] Eg Matthew 17:5; Isaiah 42:1

[2] Bob Deffinbaugh

[3] Psalm 65:12-13

[4] Psalm 96:11-12

[5] Psalm 98:8

[6] Luke 15:7

[7] Psalm 16:11

[8] Romans 14:17