Joy in heaven — what produces it? The repentance of one sinner! Marvelous that heaven should be so stirred by what produces so little commotion on earth — that there should be joy in heaven over what produces little else but contempt in the world.
An heir is born to some powerful sovereign, or such a one is married or ascends the throne, and there is great rejoicing and merrymaking on earth. Some mighty conqueror returns at the head of his victorious armies, and there is great rejoicing on earth, but such matters receive little notice in heaven. Some poor, broken-down, miserable wreck of a man or woman on a heap of filthy rags or straw, in some tumble-down garret or hovel, turns their face towards heaven and says, “Father, I have sinned,” or “God, be merciful to me a sinner,” and all heaven rings again with joy. And where is the source and spring of this joy? In the heart of the blessed One that is happy — God. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:1010Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10)). Who is in their presence, and in whose presence are they? In the presence of God; that is where the joy is from which all heaven catches the tone.
Only think that it is not the faultless self-righteous Pharisee that produces this joy; it is the repentance of a sinner! What is repentance? It is that change of mind which godly sorrow works. It is not the sorrow of the world that works death, as in the case of Judas. Rather, it is a change of mind as to God, when we own Him to be just and merciful and gracious. We tend to think ourselves righteous, and even religious, but we must own ourselves to be sinners, to be utterly without claim upon Him on the ground of anything we are or have done, and cast ourselves unreservedly upon His mercy.
Adapted from Things New
and Old, 31:122