18/08/2024
Celebration and Joy
Sunday, 18 August 2024 | Time: 12:30
Joy is at the heart of true worship. It’s remarkable that the Hebrew Bible uses at least thirteen distinct Hebrew root words to express joy in worship. Exuberant delight, gladness, joy and exultation spring from a right relationship between God and His people. It is as if there are not enough words to express the fullness of joyful worship!
Joy is at the heart of true humanity. It’s by design. God created mankind for joyful relationship as the Westminster Catechism makes clear, that man’ s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever. Joy permeates the entire Bible.
Would it surprise you that modern neurobiology reflects this design and relationship? One researcher and author, Allan Schore, maintains that joy is essential for developing stable mental health. He defines joy relationally as “someone who is glad to be with me” and “being the sparkle in someone’s eye.” (quoted in The Other Half of Church, Wilder and Hendricks). The people in Ezra’s day understood this well.
Worship in God’s presence is tangibly, visually pictured as rejoicing before the face of God!
Seventy years after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, the tangible symbol of God’s presence among His people stands rebuilt. It’s time for joyful celebration before His face. Ezra chapter 6 vividly describes that joy.
God takes delighted when we come together, face to face, seeking His face in worship.
Join us this coming Sunday! See you then.