ONE Joy

This sunday is special because it is the Sunday of Joy

What is joy? it is the welling up of happiness and delight. Satisfaction. the loud exclamation.

Joy is the humming of a well tuned spirit.

Over the summer we took our van and in two weeks we traveled through 12 states and journeyed over 5,000 miles. You might find it strange but my favorite way to pass the time is not with music, an audiobook, or movie. I like to listen to the engine. I like to watch the odometer click by. I like to listen to the hum of the engine and watch for fuel efficiency to ensure that the van is operating correctly.

Joy is kind of like the hum of the well tuned spirit. It stands out special from hope, peace, and love as a sign post that everything is operating as it should.

You can have Hope, Peace, and Love without Joy.

You can have hope or peace or love without joy, but you cant have joy without all three.

Each of these has an opposite: hope = despair ; Peace = misery ; Love = hate.

Iowa = fields of opportunity

Nebraska = the good life

Arkansas = the natural state

Missouri = the show me state

What would you say is the opposite of joy?

sorrow = a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others.

heartache = emotional anguish or grief, typically caused by the loss or absence of someone loved.

stress = a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.

None of these quite hit the mark to really dig at the lack of joy. So I define the opposite of Joy as being without hope, peace, and love. When any of these become illusive the first thing to go is your joy.

The fuel

That sparks flame

Hope keeps its eye on tomorrow. Peace keeps its eye on today, & love looks to yesterday.

Its cool to see how these begin to intermingle. Put hope and love together and you can look with anticipation at the new relationships God is bringing into your life. Put peace and love together and you find forgiveness. put hope and peace together and you get “hopeace” you get endurance/perseverance.

The flame

This

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

for the hope + love = peace which results in joy

The Spark:

Romans 15:13 ESV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Galatians

Galatians 5:22 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

The flame

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

for the hope + love = peace which results in joy