Circuit of Joy
It may be a happy accident of the etymology of the English word "rejoice," but ever notice how it can be deconstructed as "re-" and "joy"? As if representing "joy" that is given back?
For we know our "joy" is truly a gift given to us by God. It is not an emotional reaction to pleasant circumstances, like happiness. It is a supernatural delight endowed to those who submit to God. He plants it into the heart of the obedient.
This principle is so inviolate, it even describes the experience Jesus had of joy during his earthly sojourn: "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross..." [Heb. 12:2]. Jesus' obedience unto death was the fount of his own joy.
Now when we allow our gift of joy to inspire audible praise and worship to our Heavenly Father, our joy is effectively being rebounded back to Him. In this way we are helping create a circuit of Joy: The Father sends joy down to us, we re-joice sending it back up to Him, inspiring Him to give us even more joy, and so on, in an endless cycle. This is what I think of when I reflect on the "unbroken praise" referred to in the hymn "Joyful, Joyful." And to me, it is a picture of genuine power in the worship service. Just like with electricity, I suspect it is because the circuit of Joy is unbroken that the energy flows through the sanctuary!
For we know our "joy" is truly a gift given to us by God. It is not an emotional reaction to pleasant circumstances, like happiness. It is a supernatural delight endowed to those who submit to God. He plants it into the heart of the obedient.
This principle is so inviolate, it even describes the experience Jesus had of joy during his earthly sojourn: "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross..." [Heb. 12:2]. Jesus' obedience unto death was the fount of his own joy.
Now when we allow our gift of joy to inspire audible praise and worship to our Heavenly Father, our joy is effectively being rebounded back to Him. In this way we are helping create a circuit of Joy: The Father sends joy down to us, we re-joice sending it back up to Him, inspiring Him to give us even more joy, and so on, in an endless cycle. This is what I think of when I reflect on the "unbroken praise" referred to in the hymn "Joyful, Joyful." And to me, it is a picture of genuine power in the worship service. Just like with electricity, I suspect it is because the circuit of Joy is unbroken that the energy flows through the sanctuary!
© 2024 Created by Raliegh Jones Jr..
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