Cup of Joy

Uncontainable, irrepressible, bubbling over joy! That’s what I’m talking about! To drink from the cup of salvation and have constant communion with the Lord my God and His Holy Spirit dwelling within me, leading me, counseling me, comforting me, teaching and transforming me is the most exciting adventurous, joy filled life I can imagine.

Galatians 5:19-20 states that “…the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing….” Where’s the joy in that? There isn’t any! But as verse 16 and 20 says, if you “…walk by the Spirit you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” because “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control….” (NASB).

Upon salvation we are given a new spirit and a new heart (desire) for living. Therefore, if we have been given a new spirit, why don’t we also walk by this new spirit? We have been given an awesome choice and have many opportunities each day to enjoy living by the fruit of the spirit. I know the Lord wants our cup of joy to be full and overflowing, uncontainable, even effervescent. He wants our joy to be highly contagious and full of His glory. He wants the world to see our joy and sense of well being in every circumstance because of our faith and joy in Him. He wants others to see that our joy in the Lord is greater than anything the world has to offer. For this purpose He is rejoicing, even spinning, over us with joy; stirring up, filling and refilling to overflowing our cups with His joy.

After I finished the painting, the Lord told me to go back and make sure each bubble was a work of art in itself. The reason He said was because each bubble of joy is to be fresh and new. We don’t have to live off of yesterday’s joy.

Zephaniah 3:17 says,

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” (NASV).
“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (NIV).
“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing” (KJV).

If His well of joy is already in us, why not enjoy it? I believe I will! My cup overflows “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (I Peter 1:8) I don’t know about you but, I’ve got a joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart and I’m keeping it.

By, Ginger E. Mosher

www.GEMgallery.org

3:57