That They Might Have Joy

That They Might Have Joy

By; Jacob Sok

            The clock read 4:33 am on December 25th, with the same level of discretion and strategic maneuvering as any nuclear engineer working around the ticking timer of an atomic reactor, I slid out of bed and ascended to the upper floor of my childhood home as still and silent as possible. The reason to my tactical care during the route to upstairs was due to my most earnest desire not to give away my position to lurking parental units or worse Father Christmas himself. As I arose to the top of stairs the darkness of the weary night was dispelled gradually in a single illumination of a brilliant Christmas tree adorned with lights and tenderly placed gifts below its glow. 

           

         Christmas in all its splendor holds an ever special place in heart because it is one of the few time in mortality that the distinction between earth in heaven is dispersed by a tangible hope and love. As any other kid, I loved the anticipation of receiving gifts, but from an early age my heart's truest pleasure of Christmas was seeing the faces of people fill with the light of wonder, reverence and selflessness that naturally comes to the active participants of the season. I still hold fast in my mind's eye to an image of my once then 40 year old father expressing the demeanor of a six year old boy completely spellbound in the joy of the holiday while unwrapping a gift. 

Joy is an interesting experience  and I mean experience because it is more that collateral or spontaneous pleasure of a random series of events. Rather joy is defined to me as a level of refined happiness so pure that it compels and teaches us in clarity the most important truths of time and eternity. To think about joy I believe, we find a level of this enabling emotion during the holiday season. A time when the needs of others are placed above others, we believe again, we unite again, we center our hearts on light again- is that not the divine influence of joy. 

We read a very special piece of doctrine in the Book of Mormon in the Book of Second Nephi Chapter 2, where a father's parting advice to his prosperity is recorded. Lehi declares unto his children simplicity why he believes God is our chance at everlasting happiness, why we experience opposition and fall short, and what is to be the root of our existence. 

Simply stated by the Lord himself through his inspired servant are the words of verse 25 "..men are, that they might have joy." 

We are, to have joy. How can we not look up in awe at the stars and gratefully contemplate that truth accompanied by a heartfelt "My God how great Thou art".

Now looking at the verse I think it could be easy to overlook an important word, might. Might have joy, now at first glace we can read this as as to insinuate that there are cases where this does not apply or it could be conditional. May I offer my heartfelt testimony ans pray the spirit directs all in our pondering of this verse. 

We also read in this chapter that there must be opposition in all things. Justice needs mercy, righteousness is confronted by wickedness, desires of the spirit verses passions of the natural man within us. I know as well as any that life is full of trying times, when we could easily dismiss the truth of being a part of existence to have joy, taking it as wishful thinking. I stand today to testify that it is not an ideal of man that we are, so we can have joy....no, it is a direct expression of the God of the universe that we His children may find joy. 

Lehi declares that we are left to choose this joy, or rather choose the one make joy a living force rather than as an idea of the "frenzied mind". "Men are free to choose", choose the Savior and his gifts. When burdened by sin, regret, fear and doubt to any extend the gifts of Savior have been placed before us, like a present under a Christmas-tree but this time rather they are under the Tree of Life. 

A latter-day Apostle Boyd K Packer taught the way to receive the gifts of the Savior are found in the first seven word spoken to man in this dispensation. The Lord when presenting his Son to the boy prophet Joseph Smith said "This is my Beloved Son, hear Him.".

What are we to hear, the Lord's loving invitations to come unto him. Now the road to Him is usually clouded by unknowns and things we must strive to overcome but that road also has another name, salvation or joy! We are not alone on this road because of the atoning sacrifice of the Savior he know exactly how we have chosen to walk this path as we would. He is not only the destination but our companion. 

I have often found myself overwhelmed by this but have come to find hope in the truth that Lord takes us as we are, and measures our effort much more than our actual progress. I know the movements of joy in my life are when I have actively chosen to keep trying. This joy has compelled me, motivated me, taught me, centered me. I am by no means done with this road, but I know its the one I want to be on. 

A certain poem (The Master's hand) shares the story that at an auction a tattered violin was presented before a congregation. Offers only reaching the range of a dollar or two were bid. Then a elderly gentlemen took the violin in his trained hands playing the most stirring melody. At the conclusion of his performance the bid for the violin soared with offers of the thousands of dollars were now in debate for the once thought worthless instrument.

I pray the we can find joy knowing that in the hands of our Master we will always have worth and will be able to do that which the world would want us to believe we can't. 

May we pursue this joy is my humble prayer. 

To further your study of this topic please review the following sources:

- 2 Nephi 2 (Book of Mormon)

- The Touch of the Master's Hand By Boyd K Packer (www.lds.org)

- I Stand all Amazed (LDS Hymn Book #193)

{Pictures Provided by respective artists of the LDS Gospel Library and Google Images}