| xyrva0h5 |
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| Joined: 06 Aug 2013 |
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| Location: England |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Enjoy yourself.
It's later than you think.
Enjoy yourself
While you're still in the pink.
The years may go as quickly as a wink.
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself!
It's later than you think.
(Music by Carl Sigman, lyrics by Herb Magidson, copyright 1950)
Now, why I thought of this old song I'll [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] never know, but it took me on another journey with the Lord into [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] the history of this language that He gave us. It illustrated for me again the richness of our vocabulary and, most important, gave me new insight into how I can use my words in praise and worship of Him; of how I can enjoy myself as I enjoy Him.
Out of the blue this old song came to mind from the dim, dark recesses of my childhood. Suddenly I couldn't stop thinking of it and heard it playing over and over in my mind. I admit that the first thing I thought of was not the Lord. After all, how could a silly old song have anything to teach me about Him?
That's when, word lover that I am, I went to the dictionary. Still not knowing where I was being led--or even IF I was being led, I found these definitions for the word enjoy:
To receive pleasure or satisfaction from.
To have the use or benefit of, as in, enjoys good health.
Take pleasure in, as in, "She enjoyed her fame"
Have benefit from, as in, "enjoy privileges"
Get pleasure from, as in, "I enjoy cooking"
Have for one's benefit, as in, "The industry enjoyed a boom"
take delight in, as in, "He enjoys his granddaughter"
Not satisfied, I looked for the history and origins of the word. I found it had roots circa 1380 in the French word enjoir . I won't even attempt a pronunciation, but it means "to give joy, rejoice."
There it was: "rejoice"; literally, "make joy". The prefix "en-" being used in the same was as in the word "engage" -- to make a pledge, or "enforce"--to make, or put into force.
Now, bear with me with all this "word" stuff. Believe it or not, I'm going somewhere spiritual with this.
Look at the etymology of the word rejoice:
It is from the French, circa 1303, meaning "to enjoy the possession of," Now, pardon my French-or, rather, the lack of it. "Rejoiss-", my source tells me, is the stem of rejoissant, meaning "gladden". Re- and + joir mean "be glad," Originally "rejoice in", meaning "to be full of joy".
Okay, you'll be glad to know we're through with the worst of it. Now let's take a look at what we have here.
Enjoy is not a passive verb. When we enjoy something we are allowing, or even making, the joy rise out of ourselves. This is what Jesus came to give us.
As Jesus says,
"The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." (John 10:10 Amp)
As Jesus tells us in this chapter, He came to lay down His life for us. He is the Shepherd who stands at the gate calling His sheep. He came to give us abundant life - full of joy and filled to the full until it overflows.
Then, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus is speaking with the Father before the sacrifice, He says,
"And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, [that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts] " [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] (John 17:13 Amp)
Joy? enjoyment? gladness? At a time like this? Only because we would know the whole story of Christ's crucifixion, death, and resurrection and what it meant to us. Paul gives us the reason for our joy when he wrote these words:
(Now, this is from the Amplified translation, so let's take it slow and easy!)
"Therefore, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we ] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance." (Romans 5:1-3 Amp)
Since we see "exult" used twice here, let's look at that word. (Okay, I didn't say we were completely finished with the word history study):
My source says exult has its roots in 1425. It comes, once again, from the French, so you'll get no correct pronunciation from me-or any pronunciation for that matter!. The word exulter comes from exultare, meaning to leap out or up, The notion is of leaping or dancing for joy. Exult in the sense of "rejoice exceedingly" is from 1594.
Okay, in light of that, I'll buy the second verse. I [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] think all of us would "rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God". I'd certainly dance under those conditions!
But what's this? Now, according to Paul (and the Lord who inspired him) I'm not only to rejoice, but to enjoy--even be "full of joy"--to rejoice and to dance for joy--in the middle of trouble and suffering! How am I to do that?
Because it is not by [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] my own efforts.
Paul tells the Galatians (and us):
"But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[a]that can bring a charge]. And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires. If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit [b]we have our life in God, let us go forward [c]walking in line, our conduct [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] controlled by the Spirit.]" (Galatians 5:22-25 Amp)
It is by the work of the Holy Spirit within us--the Spirit whom we received when we accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] Lord of our lives--the same Spirit who is responsible for living the Christian life through us. I can't do it. You can't do it. No one can live the Christian life but Christ. That's why it's called The Christian Life!
That old song with which I began this letter contains some truth, too. The years do go by as quickly as a wink, and it is later than [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] you think. And though I can't really enjoy, or make myself joyful, I can receive it by [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] asking. I can't contain or display true joy--or any other fruit of the Spirit--on my own, but I can ask God to fulfill it in me.
I can say, "Father, through Your Holy Spirit dwelling in me--enjoy me! Fill me with Your joy! I rejoice in You, Father, and I exult you--I dance before you just as David did. In the midst of good and plenty or during suffering and lack, [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] Holy Spirit of God, I give myself to you. I surrender my desires and I gladly surrender my lack of joy. Heavenly Father, ENJOY ME!
Let the Holy Spirit enjoy you today!
Love,
Brother Bill
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