Joyfulness and Love 

   “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15: 11) 

   God wants us to be joyful, to be happy and celebrate that happiness in the way we live and the way we worship.  If we allow the world to infringe upon that joy and happiness it is because we are not placing all our trust and hope in Him.

   He wants us to have His joy within us so that our joy might be complete.  He even told us how to make this happen, “This is my commandment; love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15: 12).  In that sense the Beatles were right when they sang, “All you need is love.”

   The entire Bible, from beginning to end, is the story of God’s love for us.  But we repeatedly refuse His love, instead turning to the lies and false gods of the world.  We have forsaken true love and sought after our own desires.

   Saint Paul wrote, “Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful.  Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.” (1 Cor 13: 4 – 7).

   When we love like that we will have the joyfulness Christ wants us to have in our life.