August 21, the unshakably happy God.

These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.

John 1511, God is absolutely sovereign. Our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.

Psalm 115 3. Therefore, he is not frustrated. He rejoices in all his works when he contemplates them

as colors of the magnificent mosaic of redemptive history. He is an unshakably happy God.

His happiness is foundationally the delight he has in himself. Before creation, he rejoiced

in the image of his glory in the person of his son, his beloved son,

in whom he was well pleased. Matthew 3, 17, then the joy of God

went public in the works of creation and redemption. These works delight the heart of God

because they reflect his glory. The heavens are telling the glory of God, Psalm 191. May the glory

of the Lord and doer forever. May the Lord rejoice in his works. Psalm 104 31. He does everything he

does to preserve and display that glory. For in this, his soul rejoices. All the works of God

culminate in the praises of his redeemed people. Praise him for his mighty deeds. Praise him according

to his excellent greatness. Psalm 150, verse 2. The climax of his happiness is the delight he takes

in the echoes of his excellence in the praises of the saints. His delight is not in the strength of

horse nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

in those who hope in his steadfast love. Psalm 147, 10 and 11. But our praise is not only God's

delight as an echo of his excellence. It is also the apex of our joy. Praise is the consummation

of the joy we have in seeing and savoring the greatness of God. Therefore, God's pursuit of

praise from us and our pursuit of pleasure in him are the same pursuit. This is the great outcome

of the gospel of the glory of the grace of God in Christ.