Joy & Gratitude
Nearing His final hours, Jesus was eager to eat Passover with His disciples (Luke 22:15). He wanted to spend one last meal with them, showing them the connection between Passover and what was about to happen. So, during the meal He took the bread and gave thanks (eucharisteo), broke the bread and gave it to them. I say “thanks” before meals, but not like this.
The Joy Set Before Him
I like guarantees. I want to know that an investment of time, energy, and money will pay off in some way—that I might even get more back in return. And if there is no guarantee, I’m a bit reluctant to invest, take the risk, go out on a limb. So, when I think of Jesus as an example for me to follow in this journey of faith, I occasionally wonder what joy was “set out before him” that seemed to make the investment worth it.
Shared Joy
I think John is saying, “We apostles are connected with the Father through Jesus, and we want you to get in on this wonderful relationship—we want you to enjoy a deep soul connection with us, and together we will enjoy the same with the Father and Jesus. We want you to know this joy that flows from the very heart of love.” The most striking aspect is that John sees their connection with himself as connection with the Godhead. The two seem inseparable.
Implanted Joy
I doubt he knew what he was saying, but this was a clear moment of, “out of the mouth of babes….” Years ago our son made a rather remarkable comment while he and I were talking about superheroes. At one point in the conversation (I think he was 6) he said, “I don’t want to be like Superman, I want Superman inside me.” Seriously!? Who talks like that? I can only imagine that in his 6-year old mind it was quite clear that he lacked the power to be like Superman, so it was better to have Superman inside him. How else was he going to jump tall buildings?
Joy in Adversity
Paul had a very different take on joy. Notice, he says in 2 Corinthians 7:4 (ESV), “In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy”. Could you say that? I would struggle to see joy in the context of affliction. It certainly doesn’t show up in very many Facebook feeds of Christians commenting on the turmoil society faces today. I know I’m tempted to mouth off at times when I see or hear something that strikes at the heart of my beliefs.
God’s Joy…Us?
A little over 20 years ago, I heard a talk on spiritual formation where the speaker referenced this passage in Nehemiah. Frankly, I cannot remember anything the man said except for one question he asked, “What if the joy of the Lord in this passage is really about God’s enjoyment of us rather than our enjoyment of him?”
