Joyful in God by Jos. Clarke

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 21, 1875

Joyful in God.

By Jos. Clarke

“Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.” Deut. 28:47.

The book of Deuteronomy is remarkable for its decisive threatenings and curses against Israel if they should prove to be disobedient; it is also still more full, in its offers of reward in case of obedience; and in this connection, the above remark is recorded: that all these curses were denounced because of their service being destitute of love, which would make the work of God a pleasure. It was a weariness and a burden because of want of heart, want of interest.

This principle is often mentioned in the word of God, that God loves the cheerful giver, and the cheerful worker. He marks all sacrifices that are made with joy; all reverses and hardships borne with joy; persecutions endured with magnanimity. It is said that the apostolic church took joyfully the spoiling of their goods. Heb. 10:34. Indeed the word of God abounds in expressions of joyfulness and gladness of heart.

Deep repentance is accompanied with great sorrow and grief of heart; but it is followed by light and joy and gladness of heart. Great dangers sometimes lie in the path of God’s people; but united prayer turns them aside, and great joy follows.

Such an instance may be considered in the case of Haman’s wicked intention; in Ahasuerus’ decree of extermination and its final reversion by means of the efforts and prayers of Mordecai, and Esther, and their people.

Special occasions of joy often follow great occasions of trouble, because trouble leads to repentance, as in the case of the joyful passover feast in the reign of Hezekiah; also such an occasion in the reign of Josiah, and numerous others. At the Red Sea, when the Egyptians were destroyed, all the hosts of Israel praised the Lord.

Malachi is very decided in his language as he describes the lack of cheerful service in his time. Unwilling gifts and forced labor, God does not approve. “What a weariness! what a burden!” was the cry of many. They had just returned from Babylon, and were in want, and it seemed to them that they could not spare a penny of money, nor a lamb from the flock; and to spend their time and means on the worship of God seemed indeed a burden; but they prospered in following the advice of the prophets, as in the case mentioned in Ezra 6:14, and many others.

Such a joyful spirit in the service of God is a sure preventive of reaction and backsliding from God. Backsliding and apostasy are always preceded and accompanied by weariness and languor in the work of God. This often finally changes to positive dislike. Israel became restive, and fretful, and homesick, just after praising God at the overthrow of Pharaoh at the Red Sea, or they would not have murmured at the drear prospect in the desert and at the want of water, and the poor prospect for supplies. They should have kept on praising God, and praying for help.

There was no reaction in the widow’s heart after she cast her last mite of money into the treasury of the Lord, because she had a joyful heart in the work. She found that joy and peace in giving which the world could not give or take away; and there can be no doubt she found supplies abundant as the manna was to the people of Israel.

God knows our real wants are few and easily supplied; and that our imaginary wants are many, and hard to fill; and Satan is constantly inflaming the imagination with these imaginary ideas of life, and thus he keeps people in a constant fret and worry, which stifles all joy and happiness in holy contentment and cheerful service. It is certainly a good thing to look at this principle in the many pleasant lights in which it is presented in God’s word.

Jos. Clarke.