“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
John 15:11 NIV
Complete Joy
The 2023 edition of the World Happiness report showed people in Finland are first in overall happiness. Canada is in 15th place, down two spots from last year, while its younger people are way down the rankings in a newly added category. Finland has the world’s happiest people for the seventh year in a row. In order of overall contentment are those living in Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, based on factors linked to a country’s prosperity, as well as life expectancy, social bonds or having someone to count on, and freedom from corruption.
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I was having a discussion with a post-modern atheist one day who suggested that Jesus never told His followers that He loved them. He said that He did much that were loving acts but never actually said “I love you.” What I find interesting about post-modern atheists is that they pick and choose the parts of the Bible that they can use to make a point and ignore those that disprove their point. In this case, I took the man to John 15:9: “‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.’” Jesus couldn’t be more clear that He loves us – He has the same love for us that the Father has for Him. There is not greater love than this – agape, unconditional, no-strings-attached love. We experience joy when anyone tells us they love us. But when our Creator tells us this, there is no greater joy. No wonder Jesus says, in John 15:11: “‘I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.’”
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley