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Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and joy fill his dwelling.
*I Chronicles 16.27, NLT
The renowned Quaker scholar Rufus Jones spoke on the importance of having a radiant face. After speaking, a woman "with an almost unbelievably plain face" came up. She asked him what he would do if he had a face like hers. He replied, "While I have troubles of my own of that kind, I've discovered that if you light it up from within, any old face you have is good enough."
The Psalmist sings of where his joy comes from. It arises from within, from a relationship, not from external factors. Joy is something given him from the One who is Complete Joy.
6Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
Let your face smile on us, Lord.
7 You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
*Psalm 4.6-8, NLT
In Psalm 104.34 (ESV) the Psalmist writes of hope that the thoughts he ponders will please his God. Why?
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
The early followers of Jesus are described as persons radiant with gladness and filled with the Holy Spirit.
And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
*Acts 13.52, ESV
Spiritual radiance of heart and face is a gift and choice. Gladness is the character of the Sacred in us. We have to choice to receive joy, however.
If we go through an extended time of not feeling joyful, there can be different reasons. Physical or emotional health impact our feelings of gladness. Likewise, unconfessed sin can block us from joyfulness.
Pertaining to sin, we can remind ourselves how inner passions can suffocate the inner Light. The passions are emotional in nature, and include lust, anger, impatience, intemperance, ... A story from the Desert Fathers refers to this:
You cannot destroy the passions on your own, but ask God, and He will destroy them, if this is profitable for you.
*St. Anatoly of Optina
Still, excluding matters outside our control, and provided we are willing to live in harmony with God, we can live joyful lives. We have to choose two things to enjoy spiritual joy. We have to choose joy. We have to live in fellowship with the Holy Spirit within and all around us.
There is a woman in my congregation who captivates my attention with the radiance of her face, smile, and eyes. This radiance is not happiness, nor is it youthfulness-she is an older adult; this is spiritual joy shining as witness of the Spirit in her.
Last, recall the opening scripture-I Chronicles 16.27. This song is seen as given to priests when the Ark of the Covenant was transferred to the Jerusalem Temple. The hymn intones of strength and joy filling God's dwelling. The outer, material aspects of religion and ritual allude to inner realities. See, you are the Temple, the dwelling. In you is to dwell the very radiance of God's Presence.
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*The story about Rufus Jones is from funnysermons.com ; the story from the Desert Fathers is at balamandmonastery.org.lb .
*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in continuing his ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers or the Cokesbury on-line store, cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox, a United Methodist Pastor, lives in Southwest Florida. He is a vowed member of Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and seeks to inspire others to enjoy a more intimate relationship with Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the Church through addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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