The Happy God
Scripture Reading: Luke 15:1–32
A.W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
So what comes to your mind when you think about God?
Most of us go straight to his greatness—holy, almighty, sovereign, all-knowing. And we should. Those are gloriously true. But there is something Scripture says about God that we rarely say.
God is happy.
Paul calls him “the blessed God” (1 Timothy 1:11). That word speaks of deep, settled joy. And Scripture is not shy about it: “The Lord your God… will rejoice over you with gladness… he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). God is joyful in himself, and he rejoices over his people.
As Marshall Segal writes, “God is happy in himself — who he is and what he’s accomplished — and through the saving work of Christ, he welcomes us all into his full and lasting happiness.”
That raises a question.
If God is truly happy, what does he delight in? What actually brings joy to the heart of God?
Jesus does not leave us guessing.
In Luke 15, he shows us.
The chapter opens with a scene. Sinners are drawing near to Jesus, and the religious leaders are not impressed.
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
They meant that as an insult. But it is actually one of the greatest compliments ever spoken about Jesus.
He welcomes sinners.
He moves toward them. He sits at their table. He does not keep his distance.
That is not a flaw. That is the heart of God.
And that is very good news, because if Jesus welcomes sinners, he welcomes me and you.
So Jesus tells a story. A shepherd loses one sheep and goes after it until he finds it. And when he finds it, he rejoices.
“Rejoice with me.”
Then Jesus gives the meaning: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents…”
He tells another story. A woman loses a coin and searches carefully until she finds it. And when she does, she gathers others and says, “Rejoice with me.”
Heaven is not indifferent when a sinner is saved, it erupts with joy.
And then he tells one more—the prodigal son.
A son runs, wastes everything, and comes home empty. The father does not hesitate. He runs. He embraces. He restores. He celebrates.
That is what makes the happy God happy.
Because heaven rejoices over what some people resist.
Heaven rejoiced when you were saved. When you repented and came home, heaven celebrated. The day you gave your life to Christ, God gave a party in heaven in your honor and for his glory.
Step into the joy. Rejoice when others come home. Align your heart with what delights the heart of God.
This is not “don’t worry, be happy.” This is better—rejoice, because God is happy, and he delights in saving sinners.
“God sees in you a masterpiece about to happen.”
— Max Lucado
I have often thought about what it will be like in heaven. Here is 1 picture I have.
I don’t know if I will be aware of things on earth, but when I’m in heaven I would like to look over at a big party going on with angels celebrating, etc. I want to ask what is going on and have someone tell me, “Oh, they are rejoicing about the people who heard the gospel at your funeral and came to Christ.”
I guess my point in mentioning my funeral is not to be morbid but to help me picture the eternal perspective—what will matter in the end? The answer is that I want my life (and even my death) to be a way to help the lost be found. That’s where the joy here and in heaven is.