Bøger udgivet af University Ministries Press

Joy is the greatest of all pleasures, and the enjoyment of God is the greatest of all joys. Joy is the best gift we can possibly receive, because the Giver offers himself in his gift, and he is supreme. The enjoyment of God is not only the greatest of all joys, it is the Joy in every joy. Wherever there is true joy, God is in it, whether he is beheld in the enraptured gaze of our hearts, or is the Light by which other pleasures are illumined and experienced as his good gifts. Joy always has to do with God. Always. Whether we know it or not, our experience of joy in every instance is a connection with God. If we are held in hushed delight before a forest ablaze with autumn color, we have encountered the Creator in his artistry. If we revel in a sumptuous meal and find ourselves savoring the experience with a thankful heart, we have tasted his goodness. If we find pleasure in people, it is an enjoyment of God mirrored in them, and, among those who are being redeemed, the habitation of God within them. There is no joy apart from God. It is not even possible. To speak of joy without speaking of God is a desecration of language. If we knew the true nature and dimensions of joy, we would see that it is always, and never less than, our heart's encounter with the Joyful One. Joy is the touch of God. The fragrance of his presence. A glimpse of his beauty. An echo of his voice. from Enjoying God

"The heart has its reasons that reason does not know." Pascal If there is no truth to it, it is extremely odd that millions of people over the centuries and around the world have claimed to know God in a way that empowers them to live with joy, even in the face of adversity. An account must be given. Reason demands it. But what if there is something to these claims? What if joy is what it seems to be to those who know it well? What if it is an encounter with a joyful God? What if it is the fragrance of his presence? A glimpse of his beauty? An echo of his voice? What if joy turns out to be a clue to the meaning of life? What if a full, robust joy in God is the ultimate goal of our existence? If this is even possibly true, it is worthy of serious inquiry. Reason demands it. Reasons of the Heart examines joy and contemporary discussions of the rationality of faith, the significance of experiences of joy for the existence of God, and exploring joy as a key to understanding the existence of God and evil in the world.