Drenched

Today I let my kids play in the rain, in fact, I suggested it! I can remember playing in the rain as a kid, and I am pretty sure most of the time my mum was in the rain with us. A few weeks ago we went to Australia Zoo in the same sort of weather. It was steady, soaking rain. Not uncomfortable to walk in, but by the time we walked from the elephants to the tigers, we were wet. Especially my son who delighted in running, jumping, racing and playing in the rain. He was drenched. From his sagging hat, right through his clothes to the soles of his shoes. And he was loving it.

I heard of the term used by CS Lewis this week - "drenched with joy". I wasn't exactly sure what he meant by it, but it kept coming to mind, so I did a little bit of digging through the Bible. Wanna see what I found?

Luke 10:21 says that Jesus was full of Joy through the Holy Spirit, and we know from Galatians 5:22 that one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. Lots of the New Testament verses refer to being 'filled with joy'. And in John 15 Jesus spoke about remaining in Him and obeying God "so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." (John 15:11)

Joy is closely tied to the Holy Spirit in many contexts, and just as we receive the Holy Spirit when we choose to follow Jesus, and then are 'continually filled' with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), so we receive joy when we first believe and then continue to experience the fullness of this joy as we live out our faith and trust in Jesus.

Ps 16:8-11 says "I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave... You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

In His presence, we are filled with joy. Because God is with us, this joy in us need not be shaken. Because we believe He has a purpose in everything, we can be glad. And we can REST, because He will not abandon us. And we have HOPE for eternity.

Drench means "to saturate by immersion, to cover or fill completely, or to provide with something in great abundance." A little sprinkle can be refreshing and cooling, but only that steady rain can really drench. You really have to be walking in the rain for it to reach the skin and soak even the inner soles of your shoes.

Going to church might be encouraging, a prayer here and there might lift your spirits but the only way to experience God's joy in abundance is to be filled with the Spirit by spending time in prayer, in the Bible, and in obedience to God. Remaining in Jesus is the key to being 'drenched with joy'.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)