What's in a name--a joyful reminder

What’s up with the name of my blog--"Above All Else Is Joy"?  The name of the blog serves as a reminder to myself.  In all efforts, all activities, all encounters, in every facet of my life I must champion this notion: above all else is the joy found in savoring the goodness of God.  This joy cannot be tackled because of the supremacy of it’s source.  For me to not champion this notion, to not run with this joy, to trade this glory for any another, is death; It’s trading the abundance of the greatest good I will ever hope to find for something infinitely less, as in Christ’s parable it’d be like finding a most valuable treasure and not trading--when compared to the treasure--my most insufficient and worthless rags.  That’s where the name comes from.  

I want to champion said notion with every breath I have in these lungs until the Lord sees fit I fight for it no more.  That’s sort of the jugular of the blog too; I suppose not directly but simply because this blog is an extension of who I am and what I value and is also a platform for my thoughts and convictions--these things make up who I am and would therefore constitute extensions of myself (i.e. The blog).

I explore theology with zeal and endurance; where the act the end itself I would argue it to be “empty religion” and the makings of staunch legalism; however, I find the more biblical theology I explore the more I understand the nature and mysteries of God (but praise Him nothing is ever quite that simple when it comes to the Kingdom--though I would argue even that’s a question worth exploring in that the complexities and grandness of God can be championed by men by a “backwards working down” of our complex preconceived notions and loaded questions.  This is why scriptures are so rich with calls to be like a child--their prayers can render the Enemy to his weakest [psalm 8:2].  To understand God more fully and submit to His goodness all we have to do is minimize our selves more?  More dependance like a child?  Less needing to know and more eager to trust?  Re-rendering our years of built up knowledge and confidence in our own ability to understand into the simplicities of trusting like a child?  Wonderful!  Simply wonderful!  This is why I love God’s sort of economics [that is to suggest God has a sort of science he works at in His kingdom]).

The more I understand the more questions I have; the more I understand the more affection I find; the more I understand the smaller I find myself when in front of the throne and glory of the Father and the more I find I still have a long way to go on the road of sanctification.

And yet I digress....

So that’s the name more or less.  It is a reminder to myself and a testimony of hope to those who read, that because of the redeeming works of Christ I am granted the joy to savor God and will rejoice in Him for eternity.  Amen!