He Is Worthy of Our Praise

More than Happy

Praise God for His Joy | Liz Curtis Higgs

Praise God for His Joy | Liz Curtis Higgs

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit,… (Luke 10:21)

Imagine Jesus overflowing with joy! Did He have a broad smile? A deep laugh? Boundless energy? Contagious enthusiasm?

Seriously. What did His joy look like?

Here’s a clue: the Greek word agalliaó in this verse literally means “to leap with joy.” So, Jesus wasn’t sitting or standing. He was…well, leaping. Jumping up and down.

Wow.

Then Jesus put His joy into words: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’” (Luke 10:21).

The Greek word here, eudokia, means “good pleasure.” What made Jesus happy was seeing His Father happy.

This verse in a nutshell?
God, filled with God, praised God, and God was pleased.

So, is everything about God? Yes, it is.

He created all things—including us—for His pleasure, His joy, and His delight (Revelation 4:11 KJV). This is His party, from start to finish, and we’re blessed to be His invited guests.

The question we need to ask is not “Am I happy?” It’s “Is God happy?”

He Is Worthy of Our Praise on Pinterest

The answer is YES. God is more than happy, He is deeply pleased and filled with joy, and for the most unfathomable reasons. Here are three of them.

God the Father was happy to see His Son suffer.
How can that be possible? Yet, the Bible assures us, “the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief” (Isaiah 53:10 NASB). The Hebrew word chaphets makes the meaning clear: “to desire, take pleasure in, delight in.”

God wasn’t simply willing and able—He was delighted to sacrifice His Son. It gave Him pleasure.

Oh, Father, help us understand. How can this be true?
Because of His love for us. Only because of His love.

God the Son was happy to suffer.
Though it boggles the mind, it’s right there in His Word: “For the joy set before him he endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2). No getting around it. This Greek word chara means “joy, delight, gladness.”

What was the joy He held on to, the delight that sustained Him, the gladness that saw Him through?

We were, beloved. We were His joy. The thought of our redemption gave the Lord such delight that He gladly endured the most painful death imaginable, knowing what waited on the other side: our freedom.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jesus.

The third reason we know God is happy?

With JOY in Israel

The Holy Spirit is our joy and strength.
He defines joy, embodies joy, and makes joy a reality for all who know and love the Lord.

All these smiling women pictured above? They are the trustworthy souls who traveled to Israel with me four years ago. Now, look in the bottom right corner. The woman with the beautiful olive skin and the glorious smile is our Israeli tour guide, Hedva. It’s a perfect name for her joyful self, since chedvah is the Hebrew word for “joy”—as in, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Knowing we bring Him joy (so amazing), we can depend on Him for all the strength and protection we need. We stand firmly in the circle of His arms. We are perfectly safe in His mighty embrace.

No need to fear, “Is God happy with me?” God is overjoyed with you. He proved it on the cross and declared it in His Word.

Father, I am overwhelmed by this truth. Even when we’re not happy with ourselves, you are happy with us. And that deep and abiding happiness we long for? It can only be found in You. Because of the strength of Your joy, we can stand, even leap without fear. To the glory of your Son, amen and amen.

"The joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

What did you discover in our study this week? Perhaps something God had just for you. Bless you for sharing your thoughts via the link below.

Finally, I must beg your forgiveness (again) for being late with my weekly post (again). Finishing my next book has consumed my every waking hour this spring. Now that she’s done, I can’t wait for you to read It’s Good to Be Queen, coming this July. Thanks for your patience. What a joy you are to me!

Your grateful sister, Liz
@LizCurtisHiggs

Your sister, Liz Curtis Higgs BibleGateway Blogger Grid I am honored to write for P31 Ministries I love being part of (in)courage!

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