An important decision!

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that ye should abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 15:13)

Paul wishes for the believers in Rome that the God of hope fills them with all joy and peace. Not just with a bit of joy, but with the full measure of joy that He wants to give! And this happens when we trust His promises. When the wonderful Christian hope becomes alive in our hearts. As it says in Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in hope."

It is truly like an old hymn once said: "A prosperity beyond compare is the state of a Christian." But the question is whether we truly realize this, whether we actually rejoice in the Lord, and whether this is visible in our lives.

Martin Lloyd-Jones once said very aptly: "I believe that the greatest need today is a newly awakened and joyful church. ... Nothing is more important than that we free ourselves from a state that gives others the impression that being a Christian is synonymous with being unhappy, sad, morbid, and that a Christian is someone who 'despises joys and spends his life in toil.' ...

Christians too often seem downcast and too often give the impression of sorrow, a lack of freedom, and missing joy. There is no question that this is the main reason why a large number of people have lost interest in Christianity."

I believe there is much truth in this. Of course, the joy should not be forced. It must be genuine. But it has to do with a decision—the decision whether we want to rejoice in the Lord or whether we allow ourselves to be pulled down by circumstances.

J.P.S.