God’s Joyous Being
Seedling — an early exploration
“Undoubtedly God is the most joyous being in the universe.”
— Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, excerpt headed “God’s Joyous Being” in Three Visions of Paradise Workbook.
Reading note
Willard describes being overwhelmed by a coastal landscape near Port Elizabeth. The experience prompts him to imagine God’s awareness of creation: what a person encounters briefly, God knows continuously, in every detail and from every perspective. Divine joy is connected with God’s attentive enjoyment of the world.
He then turns to Jesus. Jesus’ joy coexists with sorrow and grief; suffering does not cancel his delight. Willard also challenges a picture of divine love as reluctant duty. God’s love includes affection for creatures and pleasure in their existence.
The workbook places this passage under “Prophetic Delight as Discipleship.” It invites a question about formation: how might receiving God’s affection change the way we enjoy creation and welcome other people?
This reading note summarises Willard’s argument; it is not a further quotation from the book.
Related notes
...s existing questions.* Related notes - [[Recovering Wonder]] - [[God’s Joyous Being]] - [[Caring for Creation Through Delight Rather]]