Christian Pathway

Jesus was made human, and joy and sadness are part of his experience.
However I see most prayers concentrate sadness in the world. I think most sadness is caused by people who have anger and a lack of joy in them. Joy is proven to be required for our emotional and mental health and Jesus would know this? So maybe if we pray for the symptom of the lack of joy what we miss is the cause?

Jesus indeed both experiences joy, and prays for joy for others because

1. Luke 10:21 (NIV) – Jesus expresses joy through the Holy Spirit: “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.’ “
2. John 15:11 (NIV) – Jesus speaks about the joy He wishes for His disciples: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
3. John 17:13 (NIV) – Jesus speaks about His joy: “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.”

In doing sad faced sad religion this we find ourselves missing the point that Moltmann made in his book “theology of hope” where we place our eschatological promise of joy as a postscript, whereas it is actually the medium in which our lives should be lived in.

We are indeed people of hope and we should live with the full measure of Joy in us as it says In John 17:13.

My hope is that we learn Christianity is lived in the medium of joy and expectation. If we can pray for Joy in others and inspire Joy by our actions, the world may be a better place.

As we approach lent with its procession of glum sermons maybe we need to focus more on the knowledge of hope than the story of sadness.