SURPRISED BY JOY

You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me FULL OF JOY in Your presence – Acts 2:28 (NKJV)

The story is told of how C. L. Lewis abandoned his Christian upbringing in adolescence and for many years remained a sophisticated skeptic. Yet every so often an intense yearning would grip him – a nostalgic longing for something he couldn’t explain. As he mused and studied, he came to realize that his craving was really a symptom of a deep soul-hunger. Finally he surrendered to God and he was, as the title of his autobiography says, SURPRISED BY JOY.

Until that crucial moment in Lewis’ life, he had chosen to exclude himself from the kingdom of God. If he had died while still outside of God’s domain, he would have been eternally deprived of the Joy of salvation and heaven’s assurance. Thank God, Lewis was “surprised by Joy”! That’s a significant portion of redemption – the Joy of Salvation! It is the privilege of everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour to be “surprised by joy” – “Joy unspeakable, full of glory”!

Rejecting Christ’s offer of salvation is tantamount to depriving oneself of one of the most important assets in life – the Joy that only Jesus can give. When you give your life to Christ, He’’ll deprive you of nothing worth keeping, and He’ll fill your heart and life with His JOY! The new birth is a new beginning which provides access into Joy that is never-ending. God will make you full of Joy in His presence. How gracious and glorious it is to be surprised by Joy!