When I sang this hymn as a child, the full meaning of the lyrics escaped me. I liked it because it was upbeat. I liked it because the adults around me smiled as they sang it. I mean, how do you sing a song about being joyful with a frown on your face?
I’ve been following Christ for many years now (we won’t talk about how many). As I’ve matured in Christ, the full impact of these words written by A.H. Ackley have found their way into my soul’s reality:
Jesus is the Joy of Living, He’s the King of Life to me;
Unto Him my all I’m giving, His forevermore to be.
I will do what He commands me, where He leads me I will go;
Jesus is the Joy of Living, He’s the dearest Friend I know.
Since He gave me new life and became my King, God has been working diligently to drive out the cheap substitutes for true joy that tempt me on a daily basis; good food, time with people I love, a comfortable life, opportunities to travel. None of those are bad things, in and of themselves, but sometimes I turn to them in search of the joy and contentment only Jesus can give.
When I’m following my Savior more closely, I can see how foolish I am to look for contentment in temporal things. But sometimes I allow myself to wander far away and be deceived into believing these good gifts from the Father are enough. You know what? They all end up disappointing me! The flavors of a good meal are fleeting. Family and friends, in their imperfection, fail me (just as I fail them). The comforts of life are easily disrupted by pain and sorrow. The thrill of the adventure ends when the vacation is over.
The one constant I carry from day to day is this truth: Christ in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). When I keep my eyes on my King of Life, I have deep-seated joy even when my world is crumbling around me. When I give Him my all — obeying His commands, following His lead, surrendering to His will — unshakable joy fills my soul to overflowing.
Jesus is the one thing that gives this life purpose. The joy we can know now, by serving the King of Kings, is only a tiny foretaste of the joys stored up for us in heaven. Imagine being in God’s presence, finally perfected, finally freed from the things that distract us from total devotion to our Savior. What a day that will be! — but that’s another hymn for another day.
“And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”
(1 Peter 1:8)
