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A group of people were asked, “What gives you the greatest joy?” Here are some of their answers: My career; relationships, helping others, compliments from others, smiling faces of children, playing or watching sports, dating, shopping, my music, or just a peaceful setting. So what does the Bible tell us gives God the greatest joy? Here is what Jesus told His disciples in the Upper Room before He left the earth. “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” In that conversation with His disciples, Jesus urged them to stay connected to Him, the True Vine. They would stay connected by obeying what He taught them. By obeying Him, they would reflect Jesus’ moral likeness and in doing this, they would bring great joy to God the Father. I am convinced that one reason God brought the entire physical universe into existence was to create a race of people who reflect the likeness of His Son. Paul the Apostle said as much when he wrote Romans 8:29. He said God chose us in eternity past to become like His Son. In John 15, Jesus tells us that when we obey Him, we show that we love Him, and this brings great joy to the Father. Since our obedience gives God such great joy, our greatest joy will come as we seek to obey Him, even as His own Son did fully while He lived on earth.
