I am on my way to see my son in Exeter and it is so good to feel the joy bubbling up.

Dare we believe that we bring God even more joy than we have when we see those we love?

Our God is like the shepherd who found his lost sheep. He calls his friends. He even calls his neighbours. He shouts it out, “Share my joy!” (Luke 15)

He’s like the woman who found her lost coin; she shouts it out. She calls her friends. She calls her neighbours, “Share my joy!”

He is a father running to meet his son, with such joy that it overflows into a party!

This is why I so treasure this blessing, “The Lord make his face shine upon you”; it speaks of the Lord’s face lighting up with sheer joy over us. God himself gave these words to his people which tells us that they express his heart.

His shining face, his joy over us is the end of our story; it’s where we are heading. Such comfort for me in my sorrows to know that this is the final destination.

But it gets better - we don’t have to wait to see God’s shining face – that joy is waiting for us today.

Take a moment to take in this extraordinary truth; we can give God joy – joy that he shares with us.