"Joy"

There’s joy if you look for it,

‘Cause God has put it there,

And we all need more of it,

It shows His love and care.

The world and all its misery,

Tell one and all a lie,

No joy out there for you and me,

So some have lost their try,

To go out there and find it,

While sinners medicate,

The devil’s job to blind it,

While some blame luck or fate.

And even sad believers,

Who have no joy at all,

The Spirit seeks receivers,

His power on them can fall.

The blessing and the overflow,

To do more than endure,

Not just survive but thrive you know,

It’s joy that is the cure.

Righteousness will bring the peace,

But joy is peace that’s seen,

To celebrate its great release,

From the misery that’s been.

Joyfully because the love,

Has set our hearts so free,

The river flowing from above,

And from both you and me.

”…for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17, NAS)

Paul was addressing a controversy in the church at Rome. Some believers who had previously worshipped idols had a problem with the meat that was used in idol worship but then later sold in the market for human consumption. To them, eating that meat was somehow spiritually contaminated. Others thought it was just meat. In addressing the conflict he pointed out that the Kingdom of God was not about observing external rules or being caught up in things that ultimately didn’t matter. It was all about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Emphasizing the righteousness that God gives us and living righteously is important. The peace and joy are God’s way of showing His righteousness through us to the world. Let’s keep the main thing, the main thing.

Lord, give us righteousness, peace, and joy with the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Teal Blake, used by permission. Thanks, Teal, and God bless you.