JOY THE RESULT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST
JOY THE RESULT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST
“Rejoice Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents” (Deuteronomy 33: 18). Joy is very much connected with our fellowship with the Lord. Joy is not spoken of in John 14 where the subject is the way the Lord has provided for us during His absence. We have joy in chapters [p. 418] 15, 16 and 17; in 15 in connection with service; in 16: 24 it is in connection with answers to prayer respecting church interests; and in 17 it is His own joy. “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ” (2 Corinthians 1: 5). Thus our joy is more connected with identification with Him than as a consequence of His work for us. Surely His work for us has relieved our hearts of every fear, but it is in fellowship with the Father and the Son that our joy is full, and it is in connection with Himself personally that Peter says, “Joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1: 8). “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4: 4). As far as I see, we have peace as the result of Christ’s work for us, but joy is more the reward of service, or of devotion to His interests. I think you may remark, that almost everywhere the ministry that is valued is the expounding of Christ’s service for us; and, as is always the case, the demand indicates the supply. This measure of teaching is in keeping with the desire, and very often the necessity of souls, and hence there is little joy. I am quite sure, that if our hearts were restful in confidence in His unbounded interest in us, we should devote ourselves to His interests, as being really identified with Him. Union is the consummation of love, while communion is the life and fruition of union. I believe the Lord would prefer that I had one thought in common with Him as to His interests, than that I were the doer of any number of good works. The Lord loves our fellowship; we are “called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1: 9). The more we are in His company, the more we love Him, for we know Him better. Peter, James and John went with Him to the house of death, to the glorious mount, and to Gethsemane. May you have the deep and ever-increasing joy of being here in daily fellowship with Him as to His interests here.