Dear Faith Family,
"What is the chief end of man?
Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."
(Westminster Catechism)
What is the purpose of life, the primary aim of your living and mine? The first question asked by the nearly 500-year-old catechism (summary of principles used for instruction) is, indeed, the essential question of humanity. A question every human, civilization, and society has (and is) answered in some form or fashion throughout history. The answer is two-fold.
The first part is expected, at least for those of us who have grown up in the Church: "glorify God". The granular specifics on how we fulfill this aspect of our chief end have varied to some degree across the various times and places of those seeking to achieve it. "To glorify God, you have to ______." I am sure you fill in the blanks with at least a few different answers. Yet, as we were reminded after Easter, the essential and straightforward description of a life that glorifies God is one lived in a whole and holy relational rhythm.
It's the first aspect that takes up most of our attention, and rightly so. But, we can't miss the second, contends the Church throughout history, if we want to live a truly good (perfect) life. Let me say that again: if we're going to live a good, complete life —a life that glorifies God —we must live a life of enjoyment, a life of joy.
Joy, as Dylan and Psalm 126 reminded us on Sunday, is merely an end, something we arrive at; joy is a means to our singular end. Only as we enjoy our true life in God through Christ will we live a life that demonstrates the beauty of God. Only as we live a life that declares the beauty of God's good purposes will we experience the essential joy of living...forever.
Here, at the midpoint of the Psalms of Ascent, we are encouraged to be transformed and empowered through joy. In your life given up to and kept by God's goodness (Psalms 120-121), given over to His glory (Psalm 122-123), trusting His greatness (Psalm 124-125); be filled and overflow with joy, says the psalmist in Psalm 126. Joy because of what life in God has meant and will mean. Joy is not meant merely as the feeling at the end of the pilgrimage, but its very purpose.
As we pray and reflect on Psalm 126 this week, may we experience joy as our end, here in the middle. And may the words of Jesus to his disciples and friends shape the purpose and practices of our daily living.
"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
(John 15:8-11)
Love you, faith family. God bless.