Thought for Today
Genesis 1:10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good . . . 2:9 Out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy . . .
Matthew 2:10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
Luke 1:14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
« Joie de vivre (/ˌʒwɑː də ˈviːv(rə)/ ZHWAH də VEEV(-rə), French: [ʒwa d(ə) vivʁ] ; "joy of living") is a French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life, an exultation of spirit, and general happiness. It “can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do,,, And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life, a Weltanschauung.” (en.wikipedia.org)
I never took French in school. I did work on a project in Montreal for 6 months and have come to believe that French is a very beautiful language. That phrase joie de vivre is one of my favorite French phrases. I love that phrase, in part, because I believe it captures the very essence of the Christian faith. Christianity should be a continuous celebration and exultation of life, the joy of anything and everything a Christian might do or does do.
The word joy appears in the Bible 158 – 218 times depending on the translation one reads. The Greek word translated as joy is χαρά (kara), and my lexicon defines it as “(1) literally joy, as a feeling of inner happiness rejoicing, gladness, delight; (2) by metonymy, (a) the person of thing that is the cause or object of joy or happiness, (b) a state or condition of happiness or blessedness.” (Friberg, Analytical Greek Lexicon)
In Genesis, the acts of creation are followed by “And God saw that it was good.” Our earliest ancestors-in-the-faith understood that our Creator God created Creation on the basis of providing good for God’s children. In our humble state of being creatures, it is admittedly sometimes hard to understand the good in some aspects of our world. I stumble over the goodness of storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, mosquitoes, roaches, etc. When I do so, I try to remember the words of the psalmist, “100:5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” I trust in God, in the Creator of all Creation.
As a Christian, I know the joy of those “Matthew 2:1 wise men from the East” upon their arrival in Jerusalem. I understand the angel’s promise to Zechariah and I do rejoice in the births of John and his cousin Jesus. I have joy in the sure and certain knowledge of the truth in Paul’s reminder to the Ephesians, “2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—”
Some time ago our choir sang How Can I Keep From Singing. While my own vocals may not bring joy to others, I believe all Christians should continuously ask that question. How can I, as a Christian, keep from singing? How can I, as a Christian, help but feel the joie de vivre of my faith, of my relationship with God and with Jesus?
Our faith does not promise us a rose garden. Our faith and our lives will always experience ups and downs, highs and lows. But, the psalmist also offers all of us words of hope and affirmation in those familiar words, “23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (KJV)”
How can I, how can you or anyone else ever keep from singing, ever stop experiencing joie de vivre? Even in that valley of the shadow of death, literally or metaphorically, we are comforted and supported by God and by God’s Son. Our faith in God’s Son, our belief in and acceptance of Jesus as lord of our lives, ensures our salvation into eternity.
Stay safe, experience your joy in life, trust God,
Pastor Ray