Filled With Joy

“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. [John 17.13]

Got joy? If not, then it is highly likely we have not received the words of Jesus. Oh sure, we have listened to them - boy, have we listened to them. But have we received them? Have we heard them?

I am only basing this on what Jesus prayed here in John 17.13. Jesus declared to the Father that what He told His followers would fill them with joy.

Joy? We are supposed to read and hear everything Jesus said and be filled with joy?

Let's analyze this, shall we? If Jesus said the things He told His followers should bring joy, then, if His followers do not have joy, have they really heard the things Jesus said? And let's not overlook the fact that Jesus qualified that joy as "my joy."

Shouldn't Jesus' words fill us with faith?

Boom!

If the Bible is true, and I certainly believe it is, then it looks like faith and joy are connected. 

So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. [Romans 10.17]

What is the Good News? (for the record, "good" would seem to make it a joyful thing, wouldn't it?)

The Good News is this:

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.47]

Perhaps the reason many experience difficulties with faith is because the Word of God in Christ has not yet evoked "joy" in their hearts. Perhaps we are not fully convinced that life outside of repentance and forgiveness is all that bad.

Ouch.

Father, I want all that You have for me. I want repentance to be abrupt in me so that the joy of forgiveness is full and faith is untethered.