Joy’s Bedrock
Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:16-26

Today’s Treasure: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:12).

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).  Today we will look at the second character quality of the fruit of the Spirit—JOY.  The Greek word for joy is chara, pronounced with the accent on the second syllable.  It is the most common word translated joy in the English New Testament.  Chara means “joy, rejoicing, gladness, enjoyment, bliss.”*  In many ways, chara means “to celebrate!”

Psalm 51:12 reveals the source of King David’s joy. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”  Notice whose joy David was concerned about.  He recognized the joy was of God’s salvation.  Now ask God to show you the significance of the truth that salvation belongs to Him.  Why do you think salvation is described as God’s rather than yours?  Salvation is God’s to give.  It is a gift of GRACE that we have the privilege to accept.  The Greek word for grace is charis, which means “unmerited favor.”* 

Do you see a very close relationship between charis and chara?  That’s because joy is an absolute assumption in grace.  Joy is literally written into grace!  God is telling us, “If only you understood what grace means and what you have received by way of it, you would never cease to rejoice!”  Whether we ever have one external thing over which to rejoice, it is enough that we are born again!  I believe the main reason we lack an awareness of joy in our salvation is because we are unaware or seldom reminded to what and from what we have been saved.  In this way, we have neglected “so great a salvation” (Hebrews 2:3, NKJV).  We need to consistently focus on our great salvation so that our joy might be full.

You may have noted another facet of God’s salvation.  Recognizing that salvation belongs to Christ helps us get out of ourselves.  Simply stated, it’s not about us.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in ourselves that we become the center of our own universe.  Salvation is His.  It’s about Him.  Following Christ breaks the stranglehold of self in our lives as He becomes the center of our universe.  We decrease; He increases (see John 3:30).  Joy results. 

Gracious God, You are the center of all things.  Thank You for showing me that salvation belongs to You.  I rejoice in the unmerited favor shown to me through my Savior’s sacrifice.  Thank You for the joy of Your salvation.  Please fill me with joy through Your Holy Spirit.  In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

Adapted from Living Beyond Yourself, by Beth Moore, pages 69-70.  Nashville: LifeWay Press, 1998.  Used by permission.