‘There are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror.’ (Orson Welles)

Perhaps our own emotions when airborne may not match these two extremes. But the remark suggests a couple of things about ‘feelings’ that we probably don’t question. Firstly, we accept that our environment or circumstances are the determining factors with regard to our emotions. As a consequence, secondly, we have no control over them. Rather like being in an aircraft, our emotions can go up and down, sometimes very quickly – though we hope that such changes in altitude don’t occur too rapidly when actually on a flight!

Not an ‘optional extra’…

However it may come as a surprise (and a shock) to learn that God’s perspective with regard to emotions is very different. His directive to the Israelites concerning the Festival of Tabernacles featured in this week’s Torah reading includes a startling element: “Be joyful at your festival” (Deut 16:14). This was not an optional extra. Rather, it followed clear instruction in regard to when the festival was to take place: “… after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress” (Deut 16:13). In turn, the details of the festival were then set out: “For seven days celebrate the festival to the LORD your God at the place the LORD will choose” (Deut 16:15).

No ‘small print’…

So God’s instruction “Be joyful” was not the ‘small print’ concluding a list of directives that might be otherwise overlooked on account of myriad other details needing to be actioned. The instruction cannot be missed! It was integral to what God was saying. And in case readers of (or listeners to) this part of the Law thought that “Be joyful” was unique to this festival, they should have already come across a similar requirement regarding the Festival of Weeks: “And rejoice before the LORD your God” (Deut 16:11).

God was not bringing these instructions “Rejoice … Be joyful …” to a people whose emotional capacity was different from our own. Like us, their feelings were clearly active and dominant. They were “groaning” and “grumbled”; they were despondent and fickle, too readily succumbing to adversity and to displaying their consequent feelings.

No ‘let out clause’

It is also noticeable that God’s instruction did not provide any ‘let out’ clause. Their circumstances, either at a personal level or as a community, were not to be taken into account. We, too easily, allow external issues to determine our moods. Bad weather, noisy neighbours, or defeat suffered by our football team (in my case a common affliction!) all too easily weigh us down. And in case we feel (or hope?) that this instruction was only applicable to Old Testament Jews, the apostle Paul brought a similar command to believers of the New Covenant: “Rejoice always” (1 Thess 5:16).

So neither our circumstances nor our predisposed temperament are to determine whether or not we are “joyful”. Rather, that is to be decided by an act of the will arising from an awareness of God’s loving provision and mercy towards us. The Psalmist testified that exercising this ‘switch’ of being in control of our own emotions was not easy, but it was achievable with God’s help (see Psalm 42). This week we will all be tested with regard to our emotional response to events that affect us. Will you “Be joyful", and "rejoice always…” on account of God’s overarching goodness and love?

by Steve Bishop