Joy in heaven! What produces it? It is the repentance of one sinner. It is 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 an one is married, or ascends the throne. In that country there is great rejoicing and merrymaking. When some mighty conqueror returns at the head of his victorious armies, there is great rejoicing in his land, 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 the face toward heaven, and cries, "Father, I have sinned," or "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" Then all heaven rings again with joy.
And where is the source and spring of this joy? In the heart of the blessed (that is, happy) God. "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Who is in their presence, and in whose presence are they? In that of God. That is where the joy is from which all heaven catches the tone.
And have you thought, that it is not the faultless self-righteous Pharisee that produces this joy? No, it is the repentance of a sinner that does so. Of a sinner? Yes, there is joy in heaven over ONE sinner that repenteth. Will you, my unconverted reader, give heaven this joy? Your repentance would do so.
You ask: "What is repentance?" It is that change which godly sorrow works. It is not the sorrow of the world that worketh death, as in the case of Judas. You must have a change of mind as to God. Whereas you have thought Him to be hard and exacting, you now own Him to be just, and merciful, and gracious. Whereas you have considered yourself to be righteous, maybe even religious, you now own yourself to be a sinner, utterly without claim upon Him for anything you are or have done, and cast yourself unreservedly upon His mercy.
May the Lord lead you to do so, dear unrepentant reader, for His Name's sake—for His joy.