There was a man in Jerusalem 2000 years ago whose name was Simeon. He was a just and godly man waiting for the Comforter of Israel – his nation’s hope for deliverance from the tyranny of Rome. But also, this promised One, the Messiah, would bring God’s salvation to the Jews and to the Gentiles. All of his anticipation for Israel’s Deliverer was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit saying that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ.
Mary and Joseph (Jesus’ legal, but not His biological father) brought the Christ child to the temple to present Him to God as their first-born Son. When Simeon saw the Child, joy filled his entire being. He took the child into his arms and prayed, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant go to his grave in peace and joy according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation – a Light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”
Thirty years later, Jesus hung on a cross shedding His blood for the sins of the world including your sins and mine. Crucifixion was a tortuous and shameful form of punishment used by the Romans, but for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross.
What was the joy that compelled Jesus to go through such a horrific death? It was the redemption of mankind. However, not all of mankind will inherit eternal life, but only those who believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord will benefit from Jesus’ death and resurrection.
When I was a young girl, my grandmother prayed for me to become a believer. She taught me Psalm 23, she had my mother promise to send me to a Christian grade school, and she trusted me into God’s care. She never experienced the joy of her answered prayer this side of heaven.
I went merrily on my way in life knowing about Jesus, but never applying that knowledge to me personally. I thought I was going to heaven because I knew about Him, but I didn’t know Him until I was thirty years old. It was then that I experienced immense joy the moment I believed.
When I was in prayer yesterday morning, I prayed for my unsaved loved ones, as I do daily. And then I said, “Lord, the greatest blessing I could ever have on earth is to see all my grandchildren call upon the name of the Lord. What joy would fill my heart.” I think most parents and grandparents pray for their unsaved loved ones – hoping to see the day they become believers. May I encourage you to persevere in prayer and let the joy of the Lord be your strength. Pray believing that God is greater than he that is in this world, and with God, nothing is impossible.
You may wonder, Joy, what is it and how do I get it? The kind of inner joy that does not dissolve when adverse circumstances surround us? This is what I discovered – the Biblical definition of joy is a lasting emotion that comes from the CHOICE to trust that God will fulfill His promises. When a person knows Jesus Christ and believes in Him as Savior and Lord is how a person has inner joy that is not shaken by what is happening all around us.
May you know the joy of Jesus.