Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts

Jesus, Thou Joy of loving hearts,
Thou Fount of life, Thou Light of men,
From the best bliss that earth imparts,
We turn unfilled to Thee again.

Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on Thee call;
To them that seek Thee Thou art good,
To them that find Thee all in all.

We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead,
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
Wherever our changeful lot is cast;
Glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
Blessed when our faith can hold Thee fast.

O Jesus, ever with us stay,
Make all our moments calm and bright;
Chase the dark night of sin away,
Shed over the world Thy holy light.

Bernard of Clairvaux 12th Century transl. from Latin by Ray Palmer 1858

Joy is not really an emotion it is an aspect of character.  It is not something we simply feel it is something we experience and demonstrate.  Joy is not limited to the happy, light and airy moments of life.  It can be known in the depths of sorrow, grief and suffering.  Joy is particularly seen in the choosing to delight in the minor mercies when things are hard.  Joy is often tangible in the gratitude of those who are forced to live simply because of the geographical, economic and historical circumstances in which they live.  Joy is often lacking in the high expectations of comfortable Christians in consumerist societies.

When you have nothing but have Jesus then you have more than plenty.  When you have plenty and accept Jesus you could expect Him to bring you more things.  When Jesus looked at the rich young ruler He saw a poverty anchored in wealth.  When he spoke to the poor He talked about real treasure which does not perish or fade.

Jesus is the wealth of life: in Him, in knowing Him, there is inexpressible, indescribable and irreducible joy for all eternity.

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Eph 1:15-23

O Jesus, King Most Wonderful

O Jesus, King most wonderful,
Thou Conqueror renowned,
Thou Sweetness most ineffable,
In Whom all joys are found!

When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine.

O Jesus, Light of all below,
Thou Fount of life and fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire!

Thy wondrous mercies are untold,
Through each returning day;
Thy love exceeds a thousand fold,
Whatever we can say.

May every heart confess Thy Name;
And ever Thee adore;
And seeking Thee, itself inflame,
To seek Thee more and more.

Thee may our tongues forever bless;
Thee may we love alone;
And ever in our lives express
The image of Thine own.

Bernard of Clairvaux 12th Century transl. from Latin by E.Caswall

Jesus is the centre of the Christian hope – indeed to talk of being Christian without talk of Jesus, and a life transforming love of Him, is to empty 'Christianity’ of ALL that is Christian.  Yet, all too often, I hear talk of God without talk of Jesus.

This ‘God-talk’ is in terms of ‘that’s when God came into my life’, ‘the Bible tells us to follow God’ and ‘God loves me and that’s why he died for me’.  From students to church leaders I honestly think I’m hearing the name of Jesus used less and less.  There is great danger in the loss of Jesus from our conversations and our ‘God talk’.

Bernard of Clairvaux speaks from the past with force in the present.  This hymn concisely express why talking of Jesus is vital; truly vital that is – for He, belief in Him, brings Life in all it’s fullness.

When we speak of God, let us focus well and truly on how God has revealed and glorified Himself – in Jesus.  When we sing to God, let us approach Him in the way that He has made open – through Jesus blood in the Spirit’s power.  When we pray, let’s approach Him with the boldness granted to us – as His rightful children, the family and body of Jesus Christ.

Let us put away ‘God talk’, for it in we hide the offense of Christ Crucified, cushion ourselves from offending friends necessarily and obscure the hope of being saved through faith in Jesus Christ, The Son of God, saviour of the World.

As we do, and as we speak of the Triune God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ we will live and speak the hope of glory until that day when His glory will be shown for all to see, when every tongue and every heart will confess Jesus Christ as Lord – either as a defeated and judged sinner outside of grace or as sinners saved by grace!

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”

1 John 3:1-3