GOD IS FULL OF JOY

Dallas Willard (1935-2013) author and professor wrote:

“We should, to begin with, think that God leads a very interesting life, and that he is full of joy. Undoubtedly he is the most joyous being in the universe. The abundance of his love and generosity is inseparable from his infinite joy. All of the good and beautiful things from which we occasionally drink tiny droplets of soul-exhilarating joy, God continuously experiences in all their breadth and depth and richness.” (‘The Divine Conspiracy’)

I do not recall that when I was a little mean kid growing up that God was presented as ‘full of joy.’ What I remember was a God that was upset, ticked off and looking for some little kid to thrash. It was much later that I saw a Father that was happy, full of joy and wanting to party (See the three parables of Luke 15). Then I noticed how many other places in scripture there is a meal, supper or party atmosphere to accommodate the joy of the Father and the purposes of the Kingdom.

If there is no joy in all this stuff… I have the wrong God and the wrong religion.

“I have told you these things so that you can have the same joy I have and so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.” Jesus