JOY Every Day This Year

JOY .  .  . EVERY DAY THIS YEAR, 2026

I thought I only wanted a bit of happiness,
just as I imagined I deserved,
and so I competed hard with my neighbors
as I assumed I had to fill my own bag
of trinkets I had somehow
taken from them—
happiness made all my life
one competition after another
winning and thrilling for the moment
but suddenly losing again—
and although I never failed to try,
and although I gave my heart and soul,
as soon as I put a bit of happiness
inside my bag, it fell
out the hole in the bottom—
happiness became my life-long trap,
promising so much more
than it could ever deliver.

Then Jesus came calling,
loving and teaching,
explaining how
happiness, even when it
seemed bright and shining
provided only shadows
quickly passing,
failing to satisfy—
He taught me how
the Father in Heaven
calls us to a life of worship,
obedience toward Him
and then service
for others around us
as we discover
His glory and our
joy grow together—
we give our God true worship
and discover joy eternal..

****************

What comes to mind when you think of JOY? I remember the old saying: JOY means Jesus first, others second, yourself third. Even though that sounds counterintuitive in this me-first world; I believe it makes a lot of sense. Who comes to mind when you think of JOY? Well, lots of wonderful people I have been blessed to know, but especially my PaPa (my Dad’s Dad). Jesus lived powerfully in his sparkling eyes, his love for people, and in his deep humility.  Now, when I put these three together, I begin to understand what JOY means to me. First, JOY really does overflow in people who prioritize Jesus as the true be-all and end-all of life. And when JOY overflows from those people, others find they are repeatedly blessed. Finally, those who keep Jesus first and others second, discover a day-after-day, sense of goodness and wholeness and rightness, characterizing their lives.

JOY always grows out of our relationship with Jesus, as we look to Him for redemption and deliverance. As JOY grows it transforms our hearts and minds so that loving concern for others rearranges the direction of our lives—from taking selfishly into giving unselfishly. The emptiness of striving becomes the fullness of sharing. Life becomes all about giving to Jesus the worship and praise and service He deserves. Life becomes all about loving and serving others before ourselves. Life becomes JOY  that never goes away. Joy begins an eternity of deeper and deeper fulfillment as we discover the light-and-dark-difference between living unto God and His glory and living for ourselves and the world. God’s glory shines in our lives and blesses us with JOY.

Too many of us in this world waste large portions of our days uselessly seeking happiness, which is a pale reflection of JOY. Happiness lasts mere moments. JOY deepens from day-to day all the way into eternity. Happiness grabs all it can get for itself. JOY gives all it can for others. Happiness focuses its desires on pleasing itself. JOY seeks to glorify God by serving others. JOY was what we were eternally made for. Happiness is a tiny piece of the whole array of gifts God has given to us to share with others. When we find happiness, it is already fleeing. When we find Joy, it is already taking root and growing deep in our heart. Happiness was created by God to lead us into true JOY. Happiness is like the caterpillar while JOY is revealed as the butterfly. Happiness must be transformed by God’s Spirit living in us, focusing more and more on God and less and less on ourselves as it becomes so God-focused it becomes JOY. 

Nehemiah 8:10

Then he said to them, “Go your way.
Eat the fat and drink sweet wine
and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready,
for this day is holy to our Lord.
And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Here we read how the people of israel have returned from their exile in Babylon, just as God had promised them. Now they are enduring the tough days of rebuilding the city walls. They have faced fierce and dangerous opposition. They have been forced to constantly mount armed guards even as they build. Now they pause to read God’s Law. They are reminded that they must obey His Law as they find His deliverance and protection. They are reminded they must rejoice in the perfection of God’s Law. JOY comes through faithful obedience to God’s Law. When we worship and serve Him with our hearts, souls, minds, and with all our strength, He empowers our relationships with others in service, and we find JOY. 

So, JOY is a gift for all people who respond to His Call to redemption through faith in Jesus—responding to Jesus’ Call into a relationship based on Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and our trust and obedience to Him. He becomes our Lord, our Master, and so, our redeemer. We become His transformed servants seeking above all to glorify God, serve others, and in return, experience JOY now and forever. I am reminded of the children’s song: