Jesus experienced joy on earth by bringing honor to His Father. Shortly before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for Himself and His disciples. “I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began… I am coming to You now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of My joy within them.” (John 17:4, 5, 13)
Earlier, Jesus told His disciples that He wanted to give them His joy… a joy found in the love of His Father. “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15: 9-12)
The world has different understandings, but Jesus’ joy could not be separated from His Father. “In My Father, I have joy. My purpose is His purpose; My life is His life. In Me, you will have joy. Let your purpose be My purpose and your life be My life.”
Such joy allows us not to be controlled by our circumstances. No one experienced more pain or injustice than Jesus during His last days. But Jesus remained in His Father. “You will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for My Father is with Me.” (John 16:32)
When the writer of Hebrews encourages us to fix our eyes on our Savior, joy is a part of the story. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
May the joy of the Lord be our strength.
“This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10