Journey in Joy

I’ve just begun a summer study in the book of Philippians. This has been a goal in my mind and heart for some time, but recently when I arrived at the beach for a week having forgotten my usual devotional material, I decided there was no better time than the present to begin.

I read a section of Philippians each day and made notes and wrote prayers from the text. As God would have it, I concluded the book on the last morning there- definitely a divine appointment. Now I’m going back through the text with some additional resources.

Even before I began to read this short epistle, I knew the theme and perhaps why I have felt drawn to it- JOY in and through all circumstances. This longing to live with genuine joy has been in my heart for a while. I guess with more life experiences under my belt, I’ve come to know that the circumstances of life are up and down at best and that they cannot be depended on to fuel a heart full of joy. In fact, circumstances whether little or big can be aggravating thieves that drain the tank instead of filling it.

But here in Philippians Paul writes to his people- his partners in ministry- from prison about their need for joy from his heart that is full of joy- regardless of circumstance. Even as he greets them in the first few words of his letter, a clue jumps out as to how he is joyful even as a prisoner.

He identifies himself in verse 1 as a servant of Jesus Christ.

I’m using Kay Arthur’s, Count It All Joy, as one of my study resources, and today’s lesson focused on this word SERVANT. Kay took us to Deuteronomy 15:12-18 in order to learn more about the role of a servant during this time. Essentially a servant was a bond slave, and for a period of six years, one might sell himself to another, a relationship that bound him as a slave for that set time. In the seventh year freedom must be granted along with a liberal supply of material possessions.

Interestingly, instruction was also given for handling those servants who would choose not to leave at the end of the six years. They are described in Deuteronomy 15:16 as servants who would say, ” ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your family and is well off with you.” These individuals would then become servants for life.

In today’s world of personal freedom at all costs, this is hard to imagine. But this is where we find Paul- introducing himself as a bond slave of Jesus Christ. Because he loves Jesus and knows he is well off with Jesus, he has given up every ounce of personal freedom and surrendered himself completely to the cause of Christ and the advancement of the gospel.

I believe this was the foundation of his joy. It was well with his soul because he had given his life over in service to his master- Jesus Christ.

So today as I embark on a Journey in Joy, I know this is a question with which I must  grapple. Can I say with Paul that I am a servant of Jesus Christ?

While I’d like for the immediate response to be- yes, in my spirit, I know better. I have many things, as do you most likely, that I tend to serve on any given day. And they are not all bad things. They come in the form of people and ministries that I love and care about deeply. But they also include some things that are shallow and self-serving- things I want to attain or do just for me.  They keep me busy and needed, even goal-oriented and productive- but not necessarily full of joy.

God’s Word is true, and it affirms that Paul had the correct foundation for a joyful life. I’m adding these two PICs to my file and asking God to help me identify the things that compete for His place in my life. These PICS will help me lay the right foundation for my Journey in Joy!

If you’d like to study along with me this summer, spend some time in Philippians this week. Read through the entire epistle in one sitting at least once. Then go back and read Chapter 1:1-11 and identify the specific things that are filling Paul with joy. I’ll meet you back here next week with some more of my findings.