That your joy may be full

1 John 1:4

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Why has the Bible been written? Why has it been given to us? Why has God gone through the trouble of sending this message to the earth? What purpose does it serve? The purposes and the benefits that come from God’s Word are countless and numberless. He sent His Word to save us, to heal us, and to deliver us. To show unto us the way of salvation! And that we may know His mind, and obey His will! But you see, here we have another purpose. An existential purpose for every person who has the wisdom enough to open the blessed pages of Scripture. He has written all these things that our joy may be full! This is the purpose of this wonderful little book penned by the Apostle John. That our joy may be full! This is the Lord’s desire—that we have joy full and abounding, overflowing and running over. We may have unstinted, unhindered, unmarred, and uninhibited joy. This is God’s design!

Now, how may we have this full joy? All that is needed is a most brief perusal of such a passage as the one before us. For He speaks of the Word of life! Praise God for this Word of life that we have before us, and which has been so freely and abundantly made available to us! And—eternal life! Glory be to God! We have eternal life in Jesus Christ. It has been manifested to us. Praise Him for this! And then, he says, that we have fellowship, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. Now is there anything greater than this fellowship that we have? And how the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin? We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. He can cleanse us from all unrighteousness! This must give us full joy. Did not Jesus say the same thing? When He spoke of abiding in Him, He said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” You see, this is the purpose of all that has been said, and all that has been written—that your joy might be full.

Dearly beloved, are you living in full joy today? Does the joy of the Lord exude from your inner being? Are the springs of living water flowing from your innermost being? If not, let them begin today! For we have Christ, and we have eternal life, and we have wondrous fellowship with the Father and the Son. Abide in Him today, and revel in this great joy. You have many great reasons to rejoice evermore. Rejoice this day! Let His joy fill you, that there may be no room for doubt, anxiety, or fear. Sorrow may be dispelled as it is displaced by the joy of the Lord. May you be filled with joy this day!

“Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending your Son for us, and for sending the Comforter, who lives in us and fills us with joy. May we abide in you, and may we abide in your love, the love that has given us eternal life, eternal fellowship, and eternal joy. May our joy be full today as we go about our business. And we shall praise Thee for it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”