I’m a big fan of the Disney movie, Inside Out. I enjoyed cracking up with my kids in the theater as we watched characterizations of all our human emotions animated into cartoons inside of a little girl’s head. Anger with his blazing fire, Sadness with her tired walk, Fear with his irrational, well, fear...and then there was Joy. Joy was bouncy, cheerful, and bright. Joy brought smiles to our faces and made us feel good, and, just like in the movie, joy is an amazing experience to have in real life too. Since I can pretty much say with certainty that we all seek joy in our lives, what is the recipe for having it? Is our faith-walk an expression of our joy in Jesus?
For me, I love a good laugh; a good escape from the ups and downs of everyday life. My husband will often be awakened to me laughing LOUDLY at late night Friends reruns (I mean c’mon, Ross got stuck in leather pants for goodness sake!). Or a morning coffee date with a friend who keeps it real - you know the friend - she’s the one one who will bring pictures of her Pinterest fails and points out she doesn’t have time to color her gray roots. These are highlights in my day, things that put pep in my step, but is this the definition of leading a joyful life? How does Jesus bring joy to our lives...better yet, how does Jesus portray joy?
Like most folks, I’m constantly seeking happiness in life. As I reach for my Bible, knowing His Word is Truth, I pray to be directed on a path of goodness and joy. I pray to hear what God is telling me, “open my eyes and ears, God, to your Word.” Recently, God showed me something, something that brought spontaneous joy to my heart. Somehow I overlooked this short verse, Mark 14:26, that Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn and went to the Mount of Olives. Jesus sang...the night before He died...Jesus sang.
I wanted to learn what Jesus and His disciples were singing about, and right there in my Bible notes it read they were most likely singing Psalms 115-118, which were typically sung at the Passover meal which they had just finished. Jesus knew He would die the next day, and yet he sang “Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.” As I read on, the words of Psalm 118:6 struck me, “The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Jesus sang this the night before He died, which continues to leave me in awe!
As I read more, even more verses stood out. He sang, “My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” Jesus sang words of faith the night before He died, He sang words of love for the Lord; He sang of His joy in the LORD.
Even though I have faith in the LORD and even though I truly believe that the LORD is everything good, death is still scary to think about. When my time here on earth is ending, I pray that God’s love will wrap me so tightly that I will no longer feel afraid. Jesus loved us so much, He died on the cross to save us from our sins. He loved us so much that He suffered for us, knowing that He would be joined again with our Heavenly Father. He revealed joy to us by singing Psalms the night before His death.
Jesus sang - knowing what was coming next, knowing how all of this was going to ultimately end, the salvation of our souls - Jesus sang. Does this bring us hope? Does that give us joy?
As I watch that Disney movie and laugh at the caricatures of our human emotions, I realize God will lead our hearts to a safe place if we let Him. His Love will bring Joy bouncing into our lives, front and center, even in the dark times. When we experience the joy of Jesus, our hearts and lives experience an enjoyment that was never known before.
Jesus sang of hope the night before His death because of His Love for us.
That is the most amazing joy I have ever known.
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