January 13

The Christians’s Joy

My spirit hath rejoiced in God. — Luke 1:47

This is another strain of Mary’s song, and it has for us the secret of all deep Christian joy. We have no real and lasting joy till we are in God’s family, and in God as the refuge of our souls. One of the old prophets says, “Let the inhabitants of the rocks sing!” None can sing with lasting gladness but the inhabitants of the Rock — those who are in the shelter of the Rock of Ages. The world’s songs soon change to cries of terror.

During the battle of Gettysburg there was a little bird on a tree that would sing a few notes every time there was a lull in the awful roar of battle; but when the crash began again, its song would cease. That is the way with this world’s joy. It sings a few strains now and then in the pauses of life’s struggle and discontent. When the waves of sorrow break, its voice is drowned; it cannot sing in loss, in bereavement, in the hour of dying. But one who rejoices in God has a joy that sings on through all the roar of battle, through all the darkness of night.

Troubles come to the Christian, but they do not rob him of his joy. He may be in deep sorrow, but all the while there is a fountain of joy welling up in his heart. Sometimes there is a freshwater spring by the seashore. Twice every day the salt tides roll over it, but the spring never ceases to flow; and when the brackish waves have rolled back, the waters of the spring are still sweet as ever. That is the way with the Christian’s joy. It is a living well in his heart. Even in his sorrow he has a deep peace in his soul. Then when the sorrow is past, the joy springs fresh as ever. The permanence of all joy depends upon the source from which it comes. If it be in God that we rejoice, than earth has no power to take from us the gladness.