Fullness of Joy

John 17:13  (ESV)

But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Kids often get their words mixed up, making for a funny result. Take for example Kate when she was 5 years old, she would ask for “sand hanitizer.” Of course, she meant hand sanitizer, but the mix-up always resulted in laughter from those who heard her. Another time, Jenny’s kids were hanging up solar system decorations and calling out the names of the planets, “Mars, Earth, Uterus…”

We love how kids bring us joy and laughter! As they watch and listen to us, they pick up words. Those words don’t always come back out of their mouths correctly though!

Jesus is the embodiment of joy. We imagine there were evenings around the campfire where Jesus and His disciples shared stories. Perhaps the night sky around them was filled with sounds of laughter and joy. Maybe contagious belly laughs spread around their group.

Some people think that Jesus never laughed. In fact, most paintings of Jesus represent Him in a somber way. We know that Jesus suffered a great deal, cried at His friend’s death, and experienced a horrific death. Even so, this does not mean that Jesus never experienced a light-hearted moment or a fit of laughter!

Rejoicing was often a theme in Jesus’ message. He said, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…” (Matthew 5:12). His parables also had the theme of rejoicing. Remember the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son? The result is a lot of rejoicing when the items are found.

Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? You can read his prayer in John 17. He desires that His followers have the “full measure of [His] joy.” He didn’t say a “half-measure”! He wants you to live in the full-measure of His joy.

Dear Lord, help us to live in a full measure of Your love. Even when times look bleak help us to keep Your joy in us and let it shine forth. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.