Playing a New Song

As I’ve continued to study along the lines of Biblical JOY, I keep coming back to the point that at times, JOY is something that is totally up to us as individuals, to initiate in our lives.  Sure, there are many times when things are going great and it just sort of springs itself upon you. 

There are also times during a rousing song service at church on Sunday mornings when one can’t help but to experience the JOY of the Lord almost like a charge of lightning coursing through your body… at least at the churches that Piper and I attended and/or served in! 

I have many times seen… and have done it myself… when people suddenly jump out into the aisle, spin circles, dance a jig or even take a lap around the sanctuary due to the JOY of the Lord that flooded their being!  Those are the high times in life.  Like when you’ve accomplished a long-term goal, or your child aces a test at school, does well in a church or school program or scores the winning point in a game.  That is when it is easy to be enveloped into JOY and celebrate the special events of life.

But what about when times aren’t going so well?  When there seems to be a dark cloud following you around throughout your day.  A scripture that is becoming familiar to us in this blog, as found in Psalms 9:2 declares,

“I will find JOY and be glad about You. I will make music to praise Your name, O Most High.”  (God’s Word ©)

The King James Version says “I will be glad and rejoice in thee,” with the phrase “I will be glad” defined in the original Hebrew as “to cause to rejoice, to make joy” (Strong’s).  In other words, as the more modern translation above puts it… there are times when we have to go and make… or FIND our own JOY!  It is something that we need to initiate on our own!

But wait!  We are not totally alone or without help in this process.  God in His Word wouldn’t tell us, His kids, to do something if it wasn’t possible for us to do!  Psalm 97:11-12 gives us a hint by informing us that,

“Light dawns for righteous people and JOY for those whose motives are decent.  Find JOY in the LORD, you righteous people. Give thanks to Him as you remember how holy He is.”   (God’s Word ©)

There’s a couple of keys in those two verses.  First of all, we are assured that the “LIGHT” of Godly wisdom will come to or “dawn” on those of us who live righteously in the world.  And then secondly, He tells us that we will always FIND our JOY in the Lord when we “give thanks to Him” and “remember how holy He is!”  So, again, it is something that WE have to do.  It is an action that WE have to initiate.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says that this entire Psalm and the previous one as well, are a “summons to praise the King with a new song.”  Therefore, when things aren’t going like you want or need them to… then maybe it is time for you to stop the music and sing a “New Song” into the situations you are dealing with!

The Prophet Habakkuk gets more explicit in his writings on this exact subject by telling us that,

“Even if the fig tree does not bloom and the vines have no grapes, even if the olive tree fails to produce and the fields yield no food, even if the sheep pen is empty and the stalls have no cattle - even then, I will (to) be happy with the LORD. I will truly find JOY in God, who saves me.”  (God’s Word ©) 

So, there it is!  According to all these scriptures on JOY… we can most definitely have a say on the mood of the atmosphere around us and thereby in the outcomes of the situations we face in life… whether things are going splendiferously or heading down the drain!

And…if you’re anything like me… then you’re gonna want to be surrounded by and filled with the JOY of the Lord as much as possible throughout your day and NOT… down in the dumps digging a hole!

Wouldn’t You Agree?

Have a wonderful weekend.  We’re going down to Oklahoma City tomorrow, to celebrate our newest Granddaughter’s birthday.  Should be FUN! 

Have a great weekend, and as you do… keep EXECTING God’s best in your life!