My name is Joy

Today I sang with the vocal team again. There was a lot of music this Sunday as we started our ilife teaching series on worship. We had Glo from the vocal team share her story and then after Frank's message, she came back and led worship with the vocal team. I felt that the flow of the series gave the church, myself included, an opportunity to respond to what we had heard. I was especially moved personally with one moment in the first service which gave me the title for my blog today.
In between two of the songs, Gloria shared a story about a guy who was reading around Hebrews 12 which (paraphrased) says Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross.
He wondered what this joy could be that compelled Jesus to take on such a price. The answer was you. You are my joy. This came right before a song that I honestly struggled to like this week while preparing. "You've Won my Affection" by Curt Coffield. But the way that Gloria framed it, (what an excellent leadership example) allowed us to respond to what Christ had done. The bridge of that song says, "I know the sacrifice that you made, I know the awesome price that you paid." It was also a moment when I was a little overcome because my name is Joy and I have heard from my parents and grandparents that I am their Joy. The rememberance of this, and that fact that I have a basis for understanding unconditional love because of the love shown me by mom and dad and grandma and grandpa and...Combined with this moment of being able to respond to what Jesus sacrificed for me, was unbelievable. I was just overcome with gratitude that he has worked in me in this way over my life through my family and in this moment allowing me to acknowledge How great He is as we sang later, and that He is the one who has my devotion and service because of who he is and because he has made it possible through what he has done.