Joy - full

John 15:10

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. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 

There are some great promises here. Great promises of joy and love. 

We can have complete, unending joy - great pleasure and happiness. 

So, where is it???

I would think most of the time, we don't feel the great pleasure that is joy. We may feel contentment, but joy?

Jesus insists that his own obedience to the Father, the fact that he has kept the commandments, is the grounding for his joy. 

He has done what his father God has told him to, and so stayed in his love. He has acknowledged and displayed God's love in and through his obedience. 

This is what leads to joy - Through obeying what we are told to do.

When we do what we are told we are showing respect, trust and love in the person we are obedient to. Just think about it from a parents point of view. They ask you to do something, if you do it they are proud of you and they see your love in action. This then leads to them being happy and showing their happiness to you, you then feel happy and more loved. It's like a cycle - Put obedience in, give others joy, you then feel joy and want to be more obedient.

When we feel loved, we feel joy. 

We can feel loved when we are obedient to God, our everlasting parent, then we can know what joy is. One of the wonderful things I noticed about these verse is not only do we get to be joyful, but Jesus also finds joy in us! How amazing is that?! 

Jesus can find joy in you when you show your love for God by doing what he asks! Wow! 

Spread the joy!