By Ps Daniel Yaw

Isaiah 35:10
They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.  Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
 
Introduction
Joy is somewhat a gift from God to us today.  Recently with the birth of my granddaughter, my daughter would send pictures of Vera very often.  She would capture pictures of her smiling and it is simply beautiful when you see a child smile.
 
Then I thought of Jesus himself – he is known and called a man acquainted with sorrows.  Some years ago, I thought; “we have pictures of Jesus painted – but how many pictures have we seen of Jesus smiling?”.  At that time to google a picture of Jesus smiling and find one is very rare.  Nonetheless, we hear from the gospel the many humorous statements Jesus made.  We hear Jesus saying, “My joy will be full….”, a couple of times.  There must also be joy.
 
As we enter into the Passion Week with the celebration of Easter Sunday on 4th April, we thank God constantly for this hope in the resurrection.  Even in Hebrews 12:2, it says that “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of
God.”  The joy that the writer talked about was the joy of salvation given to those who believed.
 
Today’s passage is one of that comfort – that God gives joy.  Reading the whole chapter, I discover something beautiful and joyful.  As we look at Isaiah 35, and our situation today, with the prolonged period of MCO’s and isolation, one can so easily get depressed and sad and confined.  Can there still be joy?

Joy = in Unlikely Places. (1-4)
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.”
 
Desert – glad? wilderness – rejoice?  These are unlikely places to burst out in joy.  They are pictures of depression, sadness, forsaken, death.  Can there be joy?  It is very much like today’s situation.  The DG health director just announced that the virus is here to stay and with the infectious rate, it is expected to see again a rise in the cases.
 
Can I expect joy?  Even the vaccine – we hear a lot of news of uncertainty.  Yet the prophet Isaiah speaks of joy in these unlikely places.  Where would that joy be anchored?
 
In verse 2, the prophet anchored his joy in the glory of God, “they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.”
 
We have seen the glory of the Lord today – the glory that comes from the cross.  The glory of him coming to save us.  The following verses speak of that.
 
Joy:  The Unexpected Result. (5-8)
A few things on how this joy was seen were mentioned here;

• There will be restoration:  the blind see, the deaf hear, springs in the wilderness, and streams in the desert
• There will be abundance:  the sand in the desert becomes a pool
• There will be peace:  the redeemed can walk freely.  The highway is safe

 
Do I see that in my life today?  Restoration, Abundance, and Peace.  It is RAP, not RIP.
 
When we focus on the situation of life today, it would be depressing and that is why the prophet exhorted the people to look at the glory of God – to see a bigger picture of God’s eternal purpose of salvation.
 
Joy:  The Unending Experience (9-10)
And everlasting joy shall be upon our heads!  It means that even in the gloomiest situation, we shall focus on God and find joy!  And it is joy everlasting that shall be in our minds.
 
This is the joy unexpected, yet a joy overwhelming all our adversities in life.  As we continue to place our faith in God, may the joy of the Lord becomes our strength.
 
Conclusion
All these come with one exhortation (3-4), seen in three parts;

• Strengthen our feeble hands:  do the work of God.  Let us not be weary of serving the Lord and His people.  May we be found faithful doing his will.
• Strengthen our weak knees:    come to him in prayer.  Let us not give up prayer.  Strengthen your personal prayer time, Encourage one another by coming together in prayer, physical or zoom.
• Strengthen our fearful hearts: find joy, hope and faith in Him.  Let us continue to look to God in faith that in all things, God will work it out together for good.