A Prayer of Isaac of Stella

May the Son of God become for you perfect joy

My new book, Longing for Joy: An Invitation into the Goodness and Beauty of God, begins with this prayer written by Isaac of Stella:

May the Son of God
who is formed in you
grow strong
and immense in you
and become for you
great gladness
and exultation
and perfect joy

In the 12th century, Isaac of Stella prayed that we might experience the perfect and complete joy of Christ dwelling in us. This prayer reflects my own hope. Regardless of whether you read my book, I want more and more people to encounter the great gladness, exultation, and perfect joy of Christ making his home in little old us.

Of course, long before my book, and before Isaac of Stella’s beautiful prayer, Jesus made a lasting promise to us in John 15.11:

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Over a decade ago, this promise set afire my longing for joy and sent me on a journey that required facing my joylessness in the hope of kindling this kind of joyfulness. What I love about this promise in John is that Jesus isn’t just saying he’ll make us happier. He promises that we can share in his own emotional life! May it be so.

A Small Gift

I reached out to Kreg Yingst of Psalm Prayers to create a custom design of Isaac of Stella’s prayer. If you sign up for The Joy Refuge, part of the launch of my new book, you’ll receive a free 4x6” print of this beautiful artwork, along with a few other perks too … you’ll also make my day, which is an added bonus!

May Isaac of Stella’s prayer be fulfilled in us. May we know the joy of Christ’s very own joy dwelling in us—a joy that takes our joy by the hands and leads us into the dance of everlasting joy.