The blessings that accompany justification are peace, joy, hope and love (Romans 5:1-11).
You probably already know that you will endure suffering on the mission field. Perhaps you have already experienced this in the 12 days (or longer now) that you have lived overseas. It's not an easy road. Of course you are completely thrilled to be where God has called you to, yet you might find yourself asking on some days, "Should I even be here?" and "How long can I truly make it here?"
When you are tired of shutting down, of feeling exhausted, of feeling inadequate and spent, and confused and alone, where is there any room for joy? You definitely don't feel joyful.
Have you ever considered that just maybe the phrase, "Choose Joy" causes us to turn back upon ourselves as the source of righteousness? Choosing joy means that I can muster up everything I can to come rightly before God in an attitude of praise and happiness.
What if the phrase, "Choose Joy" was changed. What if the phrase actually included someone outside yourself, the sole source of joy? What if the phrase rang out through the streets, "Choose Christ"; and all the more, "Choose Christ, for he has chosen you already from eternity".
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." - Ephesians 1:4
"And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:2-4
Specifically today, I want to focus in on joy. Three objects of joy are mentioned in this part of Romans: hope of glory, sufferings, God himself (Bruce 114).
You probably already know that you will endure suffering on the mission field. Perhaps you have already experienced this in the 12 days (or longer now) that you have lived overseas. It's not an easy road. Of course you are completely thrilled to be where God has called you to, yet you might find yourself asking on some days, "Should I even be here?" and "How long can I truly make it here?"
When you are tired of shutting down, of feeling exhausted, of feeling inadequate and spent, and confused and alone, where is there any room for joy? You definitely don't feel joyful.
Have you ever considered that just maybe the phrase, "Choose Joy" causes us to turn back upon ourselves as the source of righteousness? Choosing joy means that I can muster up everything I can to come rightly before God in an attitude of praise and happiness.
What if the phrase, "Choose Joy" was changed. What if the phrase actually included someone outside yourself, the sole source of joy? What if the phrase rang out through the streets, "Choose Christ"; and all the more, "Choose Christ, for he has chosen you already from eternity".
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." - Ephesians 1:4
Jesus Christ is our justification. It is from this justification that joy proceeds from.
I love the way that the New Living Translation puts it:
"Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory." - Romans 5:2
We get to join with Paul in "joyful thanksgiving for what the gospel provides - a new life given to God's service in this life and a certain, glorious hope for the life to come" (Moo 295). The joy that you experience when life is dry is not something that you muster up, nor is it grounded in circumstances or the will. This joy is grounded in the gospel, in your identity as being justified.
It is this "power for salvation" and this assurance of the gospel that gives you "power for dedicated Christian service in this life and for deliverance from all the forces of evil and of judgment in the next" (Moo 295).
There is hope in the gospel. There is joy in the hope of glory - of God's glory being fully revealed. There is joy in sufferings - suffering is a sort of "token of true Christianity" (2 Thessalonians 1:5) and it cultivates in us endurance and steadfastness of character. And there is joy in God himself - you are reconciled to him and so you receive all the blessings of God's Fatherly love in and through Jesus Christ (Bruce 114-115).
When you are discouraged, when you doubt, when you don't feel you have strength for the Christian service the Lord has brought you into, "Choose Christ" and give joyful thanks for all that you have in him - hope of glory, purpose in suffering and union with Jesus Christ forever, in which you receive every blessing of your justification.
Works Cited:
Bruce, F. F. Romans - The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985. Print.
Moo, Douglas J. Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000. Print.
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