God, in His infinite wisdom and goodness, has woven joy into the very fabric of creation. He didn’t just make the world to be functional or utilitarian, but also to be enjoyed. When God created the heavens and the earth, every part of His creation was designed to reflect His glory and to provide delight. The sun’s warmth, the cool breeze, the beauty of flowers, the laughter of children, all these things point back to a Creator who loves to give good gifts. From the first moment of creation, God declared that His work was good (Genesis 1:31). This wasn’t just an assessment of functionality, it was a declaration that creation was full of beauty, purpose, and joy. In effect, joy and laughter IS God given.
The Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve first walked with God, is perhaps the best picture of the kind of life God intended for humanity. It was a place of peace, beauty, and abundance. Adam and Eve were free to enjoy the fruits of the garden, to care for it, and to live in harmony with each other and with God (Genesis 2:15-16). God didn’t place them in a garden of toil and sorrow; He created a place of joy. He wanted them to experience life, not as a burdensome existence, but as a joyous adventure, filled with the wonder of the world He had made. The invitation to live in the garden wasn’t simply about fulfilling a duty, it was about experiencing the joy of fellowship with God and creation.
Fast forward to the wisdom of Ecclesiastes, where the Solomon reminds us that there is nothing better than to enjoy life. “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:24). God gave us the ability to work, but He also gave us the ability to enjoy the fruit of our labor. Work and play are not opposing forces, but complementary parts of the human experience. We are not meant to live lives of constant struggle and hardship, but to find joy even in the everyday tasks and moments. Eating, drinking, and resting are not just basic necessities, they are opportunities for joy. God invites us to pause, take a breath, and celebrate what He has provided. In a world that often stresses productivity and achievement, we are called to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. That’s why He gave us Shabbat.
The Psalms are filled with calls to rejoice in the Lord, to celebrate His goodness, and to find joy in His presence. “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!” (Psalm 100:1-2). There’s a picture here of a people not weighed down by sorrow, but full of joy because they know who their God is. They recognize that life, even with all its struggles, is a gift, and they respond by praising God with gladness. It’s a call to worship, yes, but also a call to find delight in God’s presence. Joy is not just something we feel when everything is going well, it’s a response to knowing that God is good, that He is with us, and that He is worthy of all our praise.
Consider how Jesus lived. His ministry wasn’t only about preaching and healing, it was also about celebration, community, and the joy of shared experiences. One of His first miracles, turning water into wine at a wedding, is often seen as a symbol of the joy He brought to people’s lives. At a wedding in Cana, when the wine ran out, Jesus performed a miracle to ensure that the celebration would continue (John 2:1-11). Weddings in the ancient world were seriously festive events, full of music, dancing, and celebration. Jesus, by His presence, showed that celebration and fun are not beneath Him, but part of His purpose. He brought joy to a wedding by making sure the feast didn’t end in disappointment. He didn’t simply come to address the deep needs of people; He also came to restore joy, to lift the burdens, and to bring a deeper sense of life’s celebration.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus invites us into a “more abundant life”. He speaks of a joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances, but on our relationship with Him. “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). This full life includes laughter, celebration, and enjoyment of the things God has created. Jesus didn’t come to make life miserable, but to show us how to live in the fullness of God’s love, where joy is not just an emotion but a lifestyle, a way of being that reflects the Kingdom of God.
The Apostle Paul, too, calls us to rejoice. In Philippians, he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). This wasn’t a call to joy in some superficial, surface-level way, but a deep, soul-satisfying joy that comes from knowing the unshakable truth of God’s love and faithfulness. For Paul, joy wasn’t about circumstances. He had faced hardships, imprisonment, and suffering, yet he still encouraged the believers to rejoice. This kind of joy is rooted not in the fleeting things of the world but in the eternal presence of God.
But joy isn’t just a personal or internal experience, it’s something that we share with others. The Bible often links joy with community, with celebrating together. In Acts, the early church broke bread together, shared meals, and enjoyed each other’s company. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.” (Acts 2:42-43). These gatherings weren’t just about teaching or serving, they were also about rejoicing, about experiencing life together in ways that reflected the heart of God. The Christian life, while serious and purposeful, is also one of shared joy, where we can laugh together, celebrate together, and lift each other up.
In fact, when Jesus returns, He will bring about a great celebration, the marriage feast of the Lamb. Revelation speaks of a new heaven and a new earth, where all things are made right, and where God’s people will rejoice forever. “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). This picture of eternity is one of abundant joy, where we are with God, celebrating His goodness, and enjoying His presence in perfect harmony. In this new reality, there will be no more pain, no more tears, and no more sadness. The joy we experience now is a foretaste of the fullness of joy that awaits us.
So, having fun is not just something we do as a break from the hard stuff of life. It’s a reflection of the heart of God, who created us to enjoy Him and His creation. It’s an act of celebration, of recognizing that in a world filled with chaos and struggle, there is still good, there is still beauty, and there is still joy. It’s about embracing the life God has given, enjoying the moments we have, and responding to God’s goodness with gratitude and laughter.
God invites us to have fun, not as an afterthought, but as an integral part of our walk with Him. When we enjoy life, when we laugh, when we celebrate, we are participating in the abundant life He has promised us. We are joining in the joy of the Creator, who delights in His creation and in the hearts of His people. Fun, joy, and celebration are part of the eternal story God is writing, and He invites us to take part in it, now and forever.
and THAT IS….
A.M.C.H. 2020
The image is AI generated on chatgpt at my direction.