The Father’s Joy
We're talking about joy! The disciples were overjoyed at how Jesus' power worked in them. Jesus told them to be overjoyed at the fact that their names were in the book of life. Jesus Himself was full of the joy of the Spirit, and we may also have that joy when we abide with Him.
But look now, at the next part of Luke 10. Verse 21 says: "At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do."
The Father now, is shown to be pleased - or maybe we could say joyful!
God as the Most Joyous Being
Have you ever thought of God as joyful? Dallas Willard, in his book The Divine Conspiracy, wrote this interesting paragraph: "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."
Perhaps you've never thought of God like this, as the most joyous being in the universe. Let me read some Scriptures to you:
1 Samuel 12:22 - "For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own."
Psalm 104:31 - "May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works."
Isaiah 62:5 - "As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you."
Isaiah 65:19 - "I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people."
Galatians 1:15-16 - " God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles"
What a picture of a God who rejoices - who is pleased to bless His people in various ways.
Living to Please God
And Jesus says, in this passage from Luke's gospel, that God the Father was pleased to hide the truths of His message from the wise and learned, and to reveal it to little children. Think about that - perhaps God rejoices more as He sees our kids go off to Sunday School to learn about Jesus than He does when the wise and learned people of the world sit down to argue about theology.
Of course, there is no doubt that God is angry at sin in the world too. Sin brings destruction to His good and pleasing creation, and He is not oblivious to this. He has a redemption plan in place to call people to Himself, that they may truly learn to live in ways that are pleasing to Him, and when people reject Him, He certainly is not pleased.
But don't think God can't be joyful and upset at the same time! He is not human, after all. His ways are higher than ours, and He is not weighed down by worldly restrictions like us. So perhaps this is a picture you need to hold in your heart today - that of a God who is pleased to bless and redeem His people.
And then ask yourself - is my life pleasing to Him? Do I live in a way that honours and glorifies Him?
Let me end with a prayer from Hebrews 13:20, and hear these words spoken over you today: "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
