The Lord wants his people to have enjoyment. The Gospel of salvation should be the cause of the highest experience of joy. The birth of Jesus was announced to the shepherds in these words: “Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Says the apostle Paul, “Rejoice evermore.” Says Isaiah, “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth.” Says James, “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. ‘Why?’—Because ‘the trying of your faith worketh patience,’ and through patience we may be made perfect.” Christ says we are to count persecution a cause of rejoicing. He says that in the day of great reproach we should “rejoice,” and even “leap for joy.” As a reason for such rejoicing, he says, “For, behold, your reward is great in heaven.” The causes which produce enjoyment in the true Christian are far different from those which actuate the merriment of the worldling; therefore the enjoyments of the two classes will of necessity be of widely differing nature. The Christian is supposed to have the mind of Christ, and no more to find enjoyment in the follies of the world. The professing Christian who still finds entertainment in the foolish indulgences of the world should look to his standing. Peter says, “The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the gentiles.” And again he says, “The end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” Paul cautions the saints against “foolish talking” and “jesting,” which he says “are not convenient.” And the Saviour says of these times, “Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep;” and again, “Blessed are ye that weep now; for ye shall laugh.” The Master’s joy was in the salvation of souls; the Christian’s highest enjoyment is not in gratifying himself, but in doing the Master’s service. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says, “I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.” Again he says, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake.” The Christian must learn to joy and rejoice in the service of the Master here above everything else,—even as did the faithful ones of old who “took joyfully the spoiling of their goods,”—if they would spend eternity with him in whose “presence is fullness of joy,” and at whose “right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” “Lord, I desire with thee to live
Anew from day to day,
In joys the world can never give
Nor ever take away.”