I Have Found . . .

Joy Unspeakable

I hope you’ve enjoyed singing this hymn – I sure do, especially the chorus. But, don’t skip over the four verses which begin “I have found . . .”

I have found His grace is all complete,
He supplieth every need;
While I sit and learn at Jesus’ feet,
I am free, yes, free indeed.

Refrain:
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory;
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.

I have found the pleasure I once craved,
It is joy and peace within;
What a wondrous blessing, I am saved
From the awful gulf of sin.

I have found that hope so bright and clear,
Living in the realm of grace;
Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near,
I can see His smiling face.

I have found the joy no tongue can tell,
How its waves of glory roll;
It is like a great o’erflowing well,
Springing up within my soul.

A Christian’s life follows the path of those “founds” – grace, pleasure, hope, joy. Only the faith is within our control, all else comes from Him. It begins with believing:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:15-18 KJV)

Without believing, there is no studying or listening to the word of God, thus there is no faith:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  (Romans 10:17 KJV)

Once we combine believing and faith, we obtain God’s grace:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8 KJV)

That’s one verse I urge you to take time to read in context. It sounds so easy, but it comes with responsibilities, as the next two verses show. Never leave out the following two, for they prove that Christians will do good works, but good works do not bring salvation – they are the result of believing, faith, and grace:

Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:9-10 KJV)

God’s saving grace gives us the pleasure we find in doing good works in His name, not to gain His favor, but to show we appreciate His gift.

Now we’ve looked at finding grace and pleasure, how about the next thing we find – hope:

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1 Corinthians 15:19 KJV)

Yep – our hope can be misplaced. Take this one verse and it will appear that Christians are miserably hopeless. Remember, context! Read the surrounding verses – better yet, read the chapter – but one verse changes the picture of hopelessness:

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (1 Corinthians 15:20 KJV)

The resurrection changes everything. Our hope is born through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not simply His teachings or that of His disciples. That’s where we find joy:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:7-9 KJV)

There we are, back to the chorus of that beautiful hymn, sing aloud (even if not in tune) that we have found grace given by our Lord, pleasure in the work set before us, hope through the resurrection of Jesus and joy unspeakable and full of glory!

Can you understand why we want to share that with our loved ones? Not to constrain their lives in any way. Not to keep them from having fun. Not to wrap them in laws that must be kept for their salvation.

Christ said there were two basic laws upon which all others – from the Exodus until now – are built:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

Is that really too much to accept – in exchange for joy unspeakable?