This comment by Rend Collective, commenting on the theme of their new album ‘The Art of Celebration’, made me smile. This month, we are praying especially that we will all be filled with the Holy Spirit and will know His fruit and His gifts more and more in our lives. Joy is indeed a fruit of the Spirit. So many things we deem important (seriousness, professionalism, competence and so on) are not. These things are not necessarily wrong, but we do need to keep coming back to what God values and considers important and what the character of God looks like. Only by dwelling in Him will we reflect His character.
‘We’re choosing celebration,
Breaking into freedom.
You’re the song,
You’re the song
Of our hearts.
We cast aside our shadows,
Trust You with our sorrows.
You’re the song,
You’re the song
Of our hearts.
We’re dancing to the rhythm of Your heart
We’re rising from the ashes to the stars
You’re the joy, joy, joy lighting my soul;
The joy, joy, joy making me whole;
Though I’m broken, I am running
Into Your arms of love.
The pain will not define us
Joy will reignite us.
You’re the song,
You’re the song
Of our hearts.
The dark is just a canvas
For Your grace and brightness.
You’re the song
You’re the song
Of our hearts
We’re dancing to the rhythm of Your heart
We’re rising from the ashes to the stars
You’re the joy, joy, joy lighting my soul;
The joy, joy, joy making me whole;
Though I’m broken, I am running
Into Your arms of love.
You’re the joy,
The song in my heart,
The hope of my soul.
In the shadows,
In the sorrows,
In the desert,
When the pain hits,
You are constant,
Ever-present
You’re the song of my heart.’ (‘Joy’, Rend Collective)