217. Hearts will Rejoice
1 Chronicles 16:10 Glory ye in his holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the lord.
David sings this Psalm when the Ark of the Covenant is brought up to Jerusalem for a final resting place. The promise is that there shall be joy for those who seek the Lord. Everyone does not automatically receive the joy that God promises; joy is for those who seek the Lord. The Joy of the Lord is for all people (since Jesus died for all), but not all people receive it, or want it, or even care about it because they don’t care for the Lord or even give Him any thought, unless it be in a negative way, like using God’s name to curse and damn something. But joy is still promised to all; whether all will receive it or not. And even Christians who have received God’s Joy do not remember to always thank Him for it and live in that Joy.
“Seeking the Lord” simply means believing the Gospel; repent and believe the Gospel. The kingdom has come; and joy is in the kingdom of God. Seeking the Lord does not mean trying to do good, praying and fasting, earning favor by any means, or studying the world’s religions. Seeking is receiving in faith what has already been given. It is possessing the land God gives. “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added.” One of the “these things” is the joy of the Lord and rejoicing in the Lord. Joy always comes after believing. In this way God promises joy to believers in Christ. That Christians do not always feel joy in their emotions does not mean it isn’t there. Faith in the gospel opens the joy of the inner heart, and at times it touches the emotions. But there is still a little unbelief in the believing heart, which blocks the joy from being experienced. Therefore, we are given a command to act on faith: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice!”
We believe, therefore we rejoice, even if the emotions don’t feel it. True and lasting rejoicing is in the faith, not in the feelings. Act on the faith. Act on the promise. We do this when we “glory in his holy name.” Every time we pray, “Hallowed be Thy name,” we are rejoicing. God answers this prayer by bringing His name, character, nature, presence, love and power into our present awareness. And we rejoice. And that is a promise to be believed.