Years ago, my mom led a children’s church in the basement during the sermon. My mom was very good at raising the volume and getting kids excited. “I’ve got the joy” song has always been one of my favorites, especially when she started singing the tongue twister verses.
Imagine over 30 children in a painted brick basement singing louder every time she sang, “Where?” And we shouted/sang, “Down in my heart!” And again, “Where?” Then even louder, “Down in my heart!”
The tongue twisters were the fun verses that took years for me to learn. I think I was in college helping with Vacation Bible School when I finally learned the “F” verse. You sing it super fast and try not to fumble the words, “I’ve got the faith that fosters fondest friendships down in the heart.”
Where? Down in my heart!
Little did I know that the joy in singing the song differed from the joy I would feel as an adult. I needed to learn to trust in God’s holy name because that trust enabled my heart to erupt with joy.
After fighting through years of depression, my joy is slowly returning. I’m cautious that I don’t overcommit or allow myself to be overwhelmed again, but I have to trust in God with the world the way it is. I cherish in my heart how God has saved me. He is truly first in my heart. He has helped me to look for Him and discover true joy and happiness.
This is why the Topic series is good for my heart. I spend time with the verses on the topic to see all the ways God shares His ways with me. From the verses, I choose 31 to go on the Verse Calendar, and then I study the verses again to find subtopics. Themes that show up in the verses over and over again.
Then I find verses to go with each subtopic, taking those verses to rewrite into prayer for the Daily Prayer Guide.
Last, I go through all the verses and write 100 scripturally-based affirmations. These are the things God says about me, so they are things I want to say about me.
God helped me escape apathy and nothingness through the powerful washing of His word. And this brought me joy.
I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy
Now I can again look back at this childhood song and remember the joy I felt then. And I can share the tongue twisters with my grandson. The look on his face when we try to say them fast three times in a row!
“The peace that passes understanding down in my heart.” And the try-to-fit-it-all into the song verse, “wonderful love of my blessed Redeemer way down in the depths of my heart.”
I’ve added the song’s lyrics below and a video of some girls singing it.
Psalm 33:21 Our hearts erupt with joy in Him because we trust His holy name.
Psalm 40:16 But may all who look for You discover true joy and happiness in You; May those who cherish how You save them always say, “O Eternal One, You are great and are first in our hearts.”
Jeremiah 15:16 When I discovered Your words, I ate them up: they were my great joy and my heart’s delight. I am Yours, and I bear the name of the Eternal God, Commander of heavenly armies.
Matthew 13:20-21 You know people who hear the word of God and receive it joyfully—but then, somehow, the word fails to take root in their hearts. It is temporary. As soon as there is trouble for those people, they trip: those people are the seeds strewn on the rocky soil.
Acts 14:17 but even then God revealed Himself by doing good to you—giving you rain for your crops and fruitful harvests season after season, filling your stomachs with food and your hearts with joy.
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart
Down in my heart (Oh yes its) down in my heart
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart
Down in my heart to stay.Chorus
And I’m so happy, so very happy
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.
And I’m so happy, so very happy
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.…love of Jesus love of Jesus…
…peace that passes understanding…
…faith that fosters fondest friendships…
…wonderful love of my blessed Redeemer way down in the depths of my heart…
