NewSong Bangkok Blog

Let's start with this Picture

What do you see here?

Broken masonry? Incredibly relieved and happy American rescuers? But most of all what do you see?

This uplifting moment was captured by a photographer in Haiti as a young boy named Kiki was lifted from the rubble he had been trapped under for 8 days. His mom's face is hidden, but she was told to forget about the boy. Even a grown man can not survive without water for four days. But she would not give up her son.I'd like to see her face!

This picture has become famous and been shown around the world. The reason I think we are drawn to this boy’s face is that we love to see joy especially when it is joy that is birthed out of tragic circumstances. This smile says, “I am saved!”

So this is a picture of a thankful child being saved from certain death. It is also a great picture of what the people of God could be like and should be like.

The Psalmist declared, “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15).

Why? David is saying, “If you have a God like our God, a God who is faithful and powerful and loving… to belong to Him is the best thing in life!”

Do you feel that way?

When is the last time you read Psalm 103?

“May I never forget the good things He does for me.” V.2

He has saved us. He has filled us with good things. He renews our strength. Our future is secure. He will never leave us nor forsake us. And when we think and rehearse about this great salvation of ours and great God of ours, it results in a new even supernatural attitude… it gives us the ability to live joyfully at all times.

The book of Romans tells the Kingdom of God is not about rules of what to eat and not eat, (Don’t do this and don’t do that) but it is all about Peace, joy and righteousness that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Joy is this inner quality through God’s Spirit to delight in God’s goodness. It’s an overflow of God’s abundance in our spirits. It shows in the way we worship. It shows in our relationships. It shows in our response to life’s difficulties. If I could put it in a theological statement: "Joy is the gift and the reminder of the Spirit of whom we belong to. That joyful gift becomes the characteristic and condition of the heart which then enjoys a confident relationship with Christ."

Unfortunately not every Christian experiences this in their life as they ought. So today is a reminder to tap into the joy of your salvation through the Spirit’s help.

I have to remind you again how important this is. If we as Christians are the only Bible some people read, let’s give the world the joyful version of God! God is not in a bad mood. He is a joyful and playful creative God!

Ultimately, I like being around joyful Christians. Who doesn’t like to be around joyful people, right? Given a choice between a sad-faced wet-blanket type of Christian and a positive and joyful Christian, I know which type I’d like to be around! Not the long faced Christians who look like a donkey. I want to be around those who have a heart that has real joy and expresses it in their daily living.

Joy is a magnet and will cause people to want what makes them joyful.

Nehemiah 8:10 The joy of the Lord is our Strength.

Today I want to remind you of the best life-examples of joyful living and his name is Paul. He has written one third of our New Testament and the book that best depicts joy is the book of Philippians. In fact in four short chapters he talks of joy 16 times. This verse has been quoted more than any verse Paul has written.

“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.”