Abundant Joy
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 – 1669), Simeon’s Song of Praise (1631), oil on panel (61 × 48 cm) — 1631, Mauritshuis, The Hague
Waiting in Hope With Simeon
(Advent Series, Part 3)
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices: my body also rests secure…You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:9-11 NRSV)
The spiritual practice of joy involves expressions of hope, obedience, awareness of presence, and acknowledgment of abundance. Joy is a transformative spiritual practice that requires one to be fully present in the moment and believe that the Lord, in great love, has given everything needed. It is challenging to embrace joy when we experience significant losses in life. Accessing joy amid pain requires seeking what is instead of what is not. Over the years, adopting a mindset of abundance versus scarcity and practicing presence with God and others has allowed me to experience joy more fully in different life seasons.
Embracing abundance means finding contentment in your current reality and trusting in the Spirit's comfort to transform your pain with joy in the presence of the Lord. The experience of true joy can transcend even the darkest days of pain and suffering. Richard Foster, in his book, Celebration of Disciplines, suggests that, "God's normal means of bringing his joy is by redeeming and sanctifying the ordinary junctures of human life." Experiencing joy in life is far from a feeling of immediate gratification; joy at its core is a lasting emotion that comes from trusting that the Lord who created you knows and loves you and is faithful to fulfill every promise.
Obedience and Joy
In the Old Testament, after a period of enslavement and separation, the Israelites celebrated joyfully when they returned to the Lord in obedience and acknowledged his abundant provision.
Standing in awe after reading the law and witnessing the temple's rebuilding, Nehemiah proclaimed to the people, "The joy of the LORD is your strength," affirming that the presence of the Lord empowers and sustains God's people with joy through their most challenging moments.
Simeon experienced the joy of Immanuel because of his obedience in seeking and knowing God in ordinary moments. Luke 2:25 says, "Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him." Simeon, representing the faithful remnant of the scattered people of God, allowed hope to move him to obedience in living a devout and righteous life. In Simeon's faithfulness and trust, he received the joy and comfort that the Lord would bestow on the world through the promise of God with us. Simeon's hope was abundant and expectant. He lived to seek the presence of God, and in his faithfulness, the Holy Spirit rested on him and guided him to behold his greatest joy, Jesus.
Abiding Presence
In the beginning, God spoke the world into existence from nothing, revealing His presence in creation and blessing humanity with breath and life. One of the first images we have in Scripture is God talking and walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve, humankind, created in the Image of God. The promise we have in the words of Revelation, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End," means that there has never been and will never be a time that the Lord is not active and present in the world with those who bear His Image.
Created in God's image, Adam and Eve first knew beauty, peace, joy, and love in Paradise, where God's presence allowed them to be fully known and loved. When evil invaded Eden, resulting in sin and death and separation from the protection of the Garden, humankind began acting out of fear and confusion, knowing good and evil caused them to abandon God, their first love.
During this time, God had great remorse for creating humans. As he contemplated the destruction of all of creation, we see hope break in through the words of Genesis 6:8, "But Noah found favor in the sight of the LORD." Noah was a righteous man and blameless in his generation. His faithfulness suggests that even after being removed from the Garden, humanity still had a choice to seek and obey the Lord. Noah chose to walk with God despite living among people who decided to participate in every kind of evil. In walking with God, Noah invited God to know him and be known, and in obedience, he built the first ark that hosted and ultimately saved the created Image of God.
Throughout the Old Testament, arks symbolize God's redemptive plan for humanity. Moses received instructions from God to build the Ark of the Covenant, which carried the Word and presence of God as the Israelites journeyed from the wilderness to the promised land. Through these sacred arks, the LORD established covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the Israelites and their priesthood, promising the continued presence of the LORD among His people.
In the Old Testament, we see the presence of God dwelling or resting with the Israelites from the outside. The conception and birth of Jesus in the New Testament established a whole new way for the Lord to be with His people. Mary, in surrendered obedience after receiving the greeting from Gabriel, said yes to becoming the mother of Jesus. Mary becomes the living ark of the new covenant, the first human to bear and carry the Word-made flesh within her womb—Immanuel, God with us.
Abundant Joy
Jesus' arrival signals the breakthrough of God's Kingdom on earth. In the Advent of Christ, the LORD is no longer dwelling at a distance with His people. The presence of God is with us, His fulfilled promises are abundant, and joy comes from witnessing the faithfulness of God's love across generations. The birth of Christ reveals the Gospel's generous inclusivity. In the temple, Simeon first proclaimed Jesus, Salvation for the world, as a Light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to God's people, the Israelites. Jesus himself declares, "I have come so that you will have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
In the ordinary moments of life, joy comes to us when we believe in the abundance of God's presence and seek to be fully present with God and others around us. There is a profound joy in obediently walking with the Spirit of God and patiently waiting in hope for the generous joy we receive in the fulfillment of the promises of God.
Joy to the world, the Lord is coming. May you experience the abundance of the presence of Immanuel with you as you wait in hope with Simeon and the thousands of generations that have come before you. May the Holy Spirit continue to bring hope and transform your anxious waiting into joyful celebration in the present moment. Lean into the faithful cloud of witnesses and observe God's deep and abundant presence with you today and always.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices: my body also rests secure…You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:9-11 NRSV)
Reflection Practice and Questions:
Breath Prayer: Spend a few minutes praying this prayer. Breathe In: In the presence of the LORD; Breathe out: there is fullness of joy. Where do you sense that God is near in the ordinary of your life, inviting you into presence and joy?
Take a few minutes to listen and dance to the song. The Joy, The Belonging Co. Invite a friend or family member to dance and share in your joy.
“…seeking with faith hope and love pleases our Lord and finding pleases the soul and fills it full of joy.” (Julian of Norwich) What do you need from the Lord as you seek to live more fully in His presence with joy? Consider ways the Lord invites you to seek and serve joyfully and with gladness of heart.
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