Joy is better than happiness.

When I was young, there was a popular chorus for children to sing that went: « If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. »

However, apart from Lamentations 3:17, I am unaware of any reference to “happiness” in the written Word of God (at least in my RSV!). However, there are some 200 references to “joy” - which is a different concept. You see, “happiness” is dependant upon circumstances; “joy” is beyond circumstances.

Jeremiah is not usually thought of as a "joyful" prophet, yet he states: "Thy words were found, and I ate them, and Thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by Thy name, O YHWH, Elohim sabaoth." (Jeremiah 15:16)

People today seem always to be looking for fun or entertainment. “Fun”, of course, is never mentioned in the Bible, so it is evidently not considered to be a very significant part of the Christian life. The word “entertain” is used to speak of hospitality, and such activities as “play” and “revelling” only receive condemnation. (Playing is appropriate for children and animals, of course.)

Christians, however, have something far better than worldly fun - they have heavenly joy! This is the unique privilege of the redeemed, and there are many channels through which this joy can be experienced.

First of all, Christian joy comes through the Word. As even Jeremiah said, “Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” . Then we rejoice in God’s great salvation: “I will rejoice greatly in Yahweh; My soul will rejoice in my God, For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,” (Isaiah 61:10; LSB).

There is great joy also in the privilege of prayer and having our prayers answered: “Hitherto you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24). Christian service and witnessing are a source of tremendous joy when their fruits are finally seen. “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6; LSB).

And there is much, much more! Paul, writing from a Roman prison - no holiday camp! - can encourage the disciples of Jesus in Philippi to: “Rejoice in the Lord always:” and, just in case they thought that he had made an error (or completely lost his mind!), he repeats: “and again I say, Rejoice! ” (Philippians 4:4). 

After all, he might have added, we have a personal knowledge of the very Creator of all that is good and, as Peter points out: “Without having seen Him you love Him; though you do not now see Him you believe in Him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.” (1 Peter 1:8). 

Do you know Him? If not, this may well be, for you, the moment to humbly approach Him, claiming the salvation that He has provided, freely, through the atoning sacrifice of the Son. If I may be of any help, please feel free to contact me, using the e-mail address at the top of the blog.

When God fails to answer!

Second last time, we looked at the kind of prayer that "works". I shared that if we are to receive positive answers, then our asking, seeking, and knocking, must be true prayer! 

This time, I wish to add to that! One of the old hymns with which I was raised, has the lines : "Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer". If that hymn were to be sung today, I would stop singing for that part!

I confess to being just a little bit irritated when I read, or hear, that "God answered my/our prayer". You see, there is, I would contend, a corollary to that statement. If I have to state that God answered my prayer on this particular occasion, I must be implying that, on other occasions, He failed to do so!

Is this true? Are there occasions on which He ignores my prayers, even as they are made, sincerely, and with no thought of personal benefit, in the name of the Lord Jesus?!

Permit me to suggest an analogy. Imagine that one of my children, still attending Primary School, had come to me with a request: "Dad, please may I have the keys to your car so that some friends and I can go out for a drive?" Well, as a loving father, I would obviously reply: "Yes, darling, of course. They're hanging up at the back door." Would I? I might respond with: "No. You are much too young; you have no driving experience; you haven't got a licence; you are not insured. Perhaps when you are a lot older, I'll allow you to borrow the family car." 

This would not be the response that she wanted - but I would have answered her request! I would not simply have walked away and ignored her.

Or, imagine that she came to me, at 18 years of age, now old enough, and qualified, to drive a car, and asked: "Dad, may I have £50 so that my friends and I can buy some non-medical drugs, and enjoy ourselves?" In such a scenario, my response would have been: "No! Not now, not ever. I have seen what substance abuse does to a person, and I will never be party to you behaving in such a way." Once again, the answer would not have been what she wanted - but I would have answered!

The Almighty God to Whom I pray, is also my loving heavenly Father. Indeed, the love that I have for my own biological children is but a faint shadow of the love that He has for me. And, just as I looked beyond the (imaginary!) requests of my child and, from my greater knowledge and life experience denied her - temporarily, or permanently - her request, so my Father, from His infinite knowledge, denies me many of the things for which I ask. 

Someone has described His answers to prayer to a set of traffic-lights. Sometimes the light is red - STOP! This is a total "n0-no"! On other occasions the light is amber. Be ready to go, but don't move just yet. Praise His name, there are times when the light is at green - and we may move forward with confidence that we are in His will.

So, next time you pray a prayer of intercession (and don't forget that real prayer includes praise and thanksgiving) and don't receive the answer that you wanted, and expected, look more deeply and realise that your prayer has not been unanswered, but answered by One Who loves you with an everlasting love, and Who always has your best interests at heart. Seek, always, to walk more closely to Him. Then you will discover that there are more and more "green lights", as you are in His will, and doing that which He has planned for you to do.

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thess. 5:16-18).