When you think of God, do you think of His infinite joy, and the delight he takes in his good creation, including you?
I’m slowly reading through Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy.** You’ll probably be hearing a lot about it here as I work through it.
I was reading this week about how God is characterized by joy. Willard writes,
“Undoubtedly, [God] is the most joyous being in the universe. The abundance of his love and generosity is inseparable from his infinite joy. All of the good and beautiful things from which we occasionally drink tiny droplets of soul-exhilarating joy, God continuously experiences in all their breadth and depth and richness.”
Imagine the way your heart swells at the sight of some beautiful created thing–your child’s laugh, a starry night, the profile of your loved one, or just a tiny brilliant blue wildflower. That’s just a taste of the joy our all-seeing Creator God experiences continually (and our delight reflects how we are made in his image, right?).
I was illustrating this verse yesterday for a new set of Advent coloring pages:
“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17, ESV)
Now imagine the joy of the Trinity, the Son holding all things together, all things made through Him and for Him. The Father delighting in the Son and His Creation. The Spirit pouring out God’s love into our hearts, taking what is Jesus’ and declaring it to us (see Romans 5:5 and John 16:14).
The Trinity is not stingy with its joy. Father, Son, and Spirit invite us in:
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:10-11 ESV)
I know this all might sound “up in the clouds,” but Willard argues that what and how we think about God is essential for life right now. He writes, “To trust in God, we need a rich and accurate way of thinking and speaking about him to guide and support our life vision and our will.”
I’m praying we understand Him better today and in Him, find great joy and purpose.
Today’s screensaver is from a little square painting I did for an Instagram challenge last month and the words of Psalm 16:11 (I’ve illustrated a Scripture card freebie of this verse before here). You can download your screensaver by saving the image below.*
p.s. I’m listening to Lauren Daigle’s new album, are you?
PRAYING the Word
Father, help me see you clearly. Help me look up when life is overwhelming and dark. Spirit, reveal the riches of the Father to me and the “inexpressible gift” of God’s grace that gives me “all sufficiency in all things at all times” so that I can “abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
QUESTIONS to consider:
1. Do you think of God as being filled with joy?
2. What does God take joy in? (see also Psalm 18:19; Zephaniah 3:17)
3. How does the truth about God’s joy and delight affect you today?
*I’m so happy for you to enjoy my coloring pages and printables for your personal (not commercial) use! Use for Bible studies, church groups or events, and Sunday school classes are all fine! If you’re in doubt, I’m happy to answer any questions. All artwork and photos are copyright Marydean Draws. If you share this, you’re awesome (!), and as a courtesy, please link back to this post and not the PDF file. Thank you!!
**affiliate link. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
If you like this, you can get these posts in your inbox by signing up HERE!
