"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" (John 15:11).

Joy and religion seem opposites, because too many of us are morose Christians, but Jesus was/is a Man of Joy as well as a Man of Sorrows. The only contrariness here is those of us who proclaim Jesus as Lord and then walk around, down in sole and soul.

Joy is internal, solid and light; pleasure is external, liquid and gray;
Joy is and will be; pleasure is a has-been;
Joy is character; pleasure is a condition;
Joy is expansive; pleasure is expensive;
Joy is reflection on the way to perfection; pleasure is deflection;
Joy is sense; pleasure is senses;
Joy has reserves; pleasure has reservations;
Joy is sharing; pleasure is shearing;
Joy is a variety of blessings; pleasure is a variable of emotions.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame..." (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus's joy was and is as our Mediator, the Maker of Peace, the Reconciler. There is a misconception that Christianity is synonymous with suffering. His cousin John dwelt in the wilderness, but Jesus joined in the festivities of life. His joy was and is as our compassionate Savior. He was as full of sensibility and enthusiasm as any man who ever lived and He experienced great joy, as well as great suffering. In His suffering, His full joy was in knowing that, especially in this, He and His Father gave the magnificent gift of liberation to us all.