Mindy Lee Hopman

…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NASB)

Last weekend my husband and I quickly stole away to take a picture of the “Easterise” as we have for years together.  Since we live at the beach this year, I was pretty excited to be there.  Upon arriving to the ocean, we realized that we were not the only ones with this idea.  From jammies to their Easter best, the people flocked in droves to the shoreline. There was an Easter sunrise service at the public beach access.  Hundreds of people cheered, “He is Risen!” and responded, “He is Risen, indeed!” 

We need Him.

Over 2,000 years ago, Christ humbled Himself and took upon Himself the punishment of the sin of the world. He was beaten, ashamed, and crucified.  He died so we can live.

 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8 (NASB)

We have needed Him from the very beginning.

After the Fall, our separation from God caused the world to be dark.

We need The Light to see.

If we did not have a world full of darkness, we would not need The Light.

So we were seeking joy, and we waited, and He worked.

Jesus always works in the waiting.

For the joy He endured. Jesus knew joy, saw joy, and experienced joy.  While we can only see a snapshot, He knows the big picture.

There is sadness, hate, and anger here today, but all we really want is joy.

On this journey called life, we all seek joy.

We look for joy in our family, best friends, and favorite activities.  Joy is not found here. We try to find it in fun and thrill-seeking adventures, or relaxing beach escapes. Joy is not found there.

We are looking for joy in all the wrong places.

In a fallen world, our souls seek joy.  Where is joy when we need it most?

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:6 (NIV)

He endured and He is Risen.

It was finished.

Nothing is as difficult as the cross He endured, and nothing is as beautiful as the joy He experienced afterwards.

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.  Romans 8:17 (NLT)

Even when we believe, life will be hard.

When we believe, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit is JOY.

Even when life is hard, we still have joy… deep joy.

It is not a joy of this world, but rather a heavenly joy.

It is a joy that cannot be explained, but felt deep in the soul when we find Him.

With repentant hearts we turn back to Him, and fix our eyes on Him.

By His sacrificial love we receive the Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit is JOY!

Turning our eyes from looking out to looking up, lets the JOY reign down straight into our hearts.

Joy is not for us to keep to ourselves.

God ignites joy in our hearts, so that we may share the Good News with others and they may experience the same JOY.

When we share the Good News, He ignites joy in the hearts of new believers.

When JOY is found, there is a party in heaven (Luke 15:10).

Joy is found in Him.

Seek joy, cling to joy, pursue joy, embrace joy, and share joy.

Heavenly Father,
I praise You for who You are – the source of all joy.  This world may bring us temporary happiness, but joy is a fruit of the Spirit, which means it comes from You.  When we seek joy, we find joy because You promise to be found by us when we seek You with all of our hearts.  You are joy, and Your joy does not fade with time.  It is not temporary, but rather eternal.  It grows deeper and wider and radiates from your soul onto everyone around you.  Thank you, Jesus, for the joy you give us through this journey called life.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen

May you find Him, and when you find Him, may your joy be full… He is risen!
In His name,