Finding Deep and Lasting Joy in JesusSample

God rejoices when people are saved

“I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

The book of Genesis records that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth”. This was totally against God’s intention for man. Seeing their wickedness “grieved him to his heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). He had every right to completely destroy humanity for this reason — and He almost did when He sent the great flood. However, God’s ultimate purpose was not to destroy his creatures, but to save them.

When Jesus was teaching people about God, He used some parables to explain that God rejoices over sinners who repent and receive his offer of forgiveness. In these parables, people lose something valuable: a sheep or a silver coin. They keep searching for it until they finally find it, and then they call their friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep / the coin that I had lost”. So it is also with God, Jesus says. When people are saved, there is joy in heaven.

The book of Hebrews even says that this joy about the salvation of humans motivated Jesus to endure suffering and death: “For the joy that was set before him, [He] endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2).

Has God reason to rejoice over you? Or does your life grieve Him?