Our theme for Advent this week is Joy. Phillip D. Kenneson, in his book Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian Community, defines Joy as the activity of freely taking delight in something or someone beyond one's self (page 59). Kenneson suggests that people deeply rooted in the dominant cultural ethos have a difficult time experiencing joy (page 65). He goes on to explain:
We are encouraged from an early age to seek our own pleasure above all else. Such relentless pursuit of personal pleasure is what the dominant culture means by "the pursuit of happiness." Each of us is urged, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, to pursue our own individually-defined happiness; in almost every case, we are called to pursue that which promises to give pleasure to each of us as individuals. The dominant culture also has enormous power to form our desires and affections. If one doubts this, simply consider the following questions: Where did we learn to desire what we desire? Where did we learn what we should want out of life? Or what we should wear or eat? Or what we should look like? Or what car to drive or house to buy? Or what we should do with our time? Although most of our desires have complex sources, we would be naive to doubt the significant impact that the dominant culture wields in shaping - and in many cases fabricating- those desires. (page 65)
In other words, we live in a culture that teaches from day one that it is all about us. This ethos is what makes it so difficult for us to look beyond ourselves and actually see the kingdom. This ethos is what causes us to read the Bible from a me perspective instead of a kingdom perspective. This ethos is what robs us of true Joy.
"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make know his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah 12:2-6
If we do not understand that Joy is taking delight in something or someone beyond one's self, we might just miss what is happening in these verses. We might just focus on God being our salvation and our drinking water from his wells. We might not read on and see what true Joy looks like; the proclamation to the peoples in all the earth of what God has done.
I received a report from our work in India this week, in which there is a story of a man who understands what Joy is. This poor, tribal man in Central India became a follower of Jesus last month. His new found Joy led him to walk to all of his family, friends and acquaintances so he could share with them what Jesus has done. In just three weeks, this man shared his testimony with more than 200 people and was instrumental in helping to start two new groups, to which seekers are coming to find out more about this Joy that can be found in following Jesus. Wow!
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.Isaac Watts
What would happen if more of us were like the man in India? What would happen if more of us knew true Joy? My prayer is that we will become people of Joy and that we will be compelled to walk to all we know, and even beyond, until ALL have heard.
May it begin with me,
Eric
Please check the following blogs regularly during this advent season as we will all be making "random" Advent posts in some kind of synchronized fashion:
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