“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” –Psalm 30:5b
“Before the parade passes by I've gotta get some life back into my life I'm ready to move out in front I've had enough of just passing by life...” –Hello, Dolly!
Hello, Dolly! is one of the most joyful musicals to cross the Broadway stage. There is a strong desire by the characters to live life to the fullest throughout their journeys. Cornelius wants nothing more than an evening full of adventure and experience: “We’re going to New York, Barnaby, and we’re going to live!” This declaration for living echoes Jesus’ own words in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Many people view Christianity as a set of rigid rules that force the joy out of life. While a robust faith in Christ does change our ethical understanding, the gospel addresses the whole person, including the emotions. Feelings are an important part of our humanity, and being made in God’s image, our emotions mirror the emotions of God, even if in an imperfect way.
According to theologian John Piper, “Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the [Bible] and in the world.” Joy is a feeling, and like all feelings, joy can ebb and flow throughout our Christian walk. Oftentimes, joy seems dependent on our circumstances. When all is going our way, joy seems inevitable; however, when life takes a turn in a direction undesired by us, our joy seems fleeting. However, if John Piper is correct, then joy does not rely upon our circumstances but upon the never-ending, never changing beauty of Jesus Christ. As we take time to pray and meditate upon God’s Word, Jesus Christ reveals Himself more and more to us, and this revelation brings an unfaltering joy. Are we never sad again? Hardly. The same Jesus who promised abundant life also promised significant suffering: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake” (Matthew 24:9). Yet, the tribulation and sadness take on a new meaning as we find ourselves more and more impacted by the beauty of Christ and His gospel.
Although Dolly appears to have it all together, her confidence hides her sadness. She has lost her dearly beloved husband, Ephraim Levi, sometime before the musical begins, and life has been less than joyful since. Dolly mourns deeply the loss of her devoted husband. She has cut off the joy in her life because of her loss. However, as the musical takes off, the audience sees Dolly coming to life again, and, while not forgetting her late husband, Dolly does desire to return to the joy of living. This return to the joy of living displays itself in the final number of Act One: “Before the Parade Passes By.” Stirred by the deep joy found by others, Dolly feels her “heart coming alive again,” and she vows to put away her mourning for the joy of life. Mourning is a real human experience, but time brings healing, and joy brings the beauty of Christ into focus. As the author of Ecclesiastes reminds us, there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (3:4). Are you living on the sidelines of life, waiting for a moment to jump back into the game? May the joy of Jesus Christ overwhelm you and encourage you to step back into the parade before it passes by.
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