Tag Archives: joy

The Joy of the Lord

   What is joy?  A lot of times we confuse joy with happiness.  But happiness is temporary, fleeting, circumstantial.  Joy, true joy, is so much more.  Real joy comes from deep within.  It is rooted in an undeniable hope that develops with an unshakeable faith in the goodness of God. 

   Throughout Scripture, there are countless records of God’s goodness, & how He is the source of our joy (particularly in Psalms & the letters of Paul).  Oftentimes, these words were written by men who were enduring terrible situations, hardships, & difficulties, yet they still proclaimed God’s goodness, & still declared their joy in Him.

   How could they do this?  They caught a glimpse of the bigger picture.  Despite their circumstances, they believed in the great, grand design of God – to work everything together for their eternal benefit, because they loved & trusted Him.  They knew, deep within their hearts, that God was the source of all things good & that if they stayed close to Him, no matter what they faced, they would come through on the other side better for it, whether they were on earth or in heaven.

   We need to learn from their examples, & from the examples of numerous other believers throughout the church’s history.  There is so much evidence from them, & even from our own lives, that testifies to the unequivocal goodness of God.  We can take encouragement from these truths, & follow in the footsteps of Jesus as we seek to deepen our relationship with God.  As we do this, we will find that an inexplicable joy will begin to emerge & fill our lives abundantly, no matter what we’re going through.  And the source will be evident for all the world to see – the goodness of our God.

“I will be filled with joy because of You.  I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High.”  (Ps 9:2)

(Psalm 16:11;  Romans 15:13;  Galatians 5:22;  John 15:11;  1 Peter 1:8;  Proverbs 17:22;  James 1:2;  Romans 12:12;  Philippians 4:4;  John 16:24;  1 Thessalonians 5:16;  Romans 14:17;  Proverbs 10:28;  Isaiah 55:12;  Romans 8:28;  Psalm 23;  Psalm 27:13;  Psalm 30:5;  Psalm 31:19;  Psalm 34:8;  Psalm 107:1;  Psalm 145:7;  Psalm 118:24;  Psalm 4:7;  Psalm 126:5;  Psalm 9:2;  Psalm 96:12;  Psalm 100)

Merry Christmas!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:  Today, in the city of David, a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’”   (Luke 2:10-11)

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!”  (Luke 2:14)

(Isaiah 7:14;  Isaiah 9:6-7;  Luke 2:1-20;  Matthew 1:18-2:12;  John 1:14)

   It’s the most wonderful time of the year again!  Time to celebrate the birth of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ!  Everything around us is prettier – the weather’s (usually) cooler, the world around us is filled with fun festivities, beautiful decorations, familiar traditions, & music that makes us smile.  Even the people we encounter tend to be nicer.

   As we enjoy the beauty around us, let’s take time this season to remember the true source of all our joy – Jesus Christ.  Let’s take time to think about the reality of what we’re celebrating. 

   Think about Mary.  What thoughts went through her head when Gabriel appeared?  What kind of reactions did her friends & family have?  How did they treat her?  What kind of whispers & side-looks did she have to endure?  We probably can’t come anywhere close to imagining what she felt or what she went through, but we do know that she was a faithful servant of God.  A special, real, woman who was chosen to be the earthly mother of Jesus, the Messiah.

   Think about Joseph.  He was a humble, ordinary carpenter.  A kind, faithful, Jewish man who sought to do what was right.  What did his friends & family think?  How did they treat him when he decided to take Mary as his wife, despite her pregnancy?  We don’t know much about Joseph, but he was honorable enough to be selected as the human father figure of our Immanuel.

   Think about the shepherds.  There they were, minding their own business, watching their sheep in the small, quiet, hillside town.  Then suddenly a bright light shines all around them & an angel announces the arrival of the long-awaited Savior!  What thoughts went through their heads?  Did they immediately, completely, believe the angel’s message?  Did they feel worthy of receiving the invitation to meet the Lord face to face?  How did the people around them react to their recounting of the night?

   Think about the wise men.  These magi, astronomers, eastern men, were not Jews.  Yet, God chose them to visit His Son, to bring Him gifts, & to worship Him.  God chose them to be messengers, warning Joseph & Mary about Herod’s pending threat.  What did these foreign men think about all of this?  Did they believe in the Sovereignty of God, in the Lordship of Jesus?  What did they think about the gifts they offered?  Did they understand the meaning & prophecy of those gifts? 

   Think about this.  Did any of the shepherds, wise men, or anyone else keep track of Jesus as He grew up?  Did anyone see Him grow from a Baby, to a young Man, to an adult Teacher with devoted followers, to a wrongly executed Man who would rise again on the third day?  Did anyone believe?  Did anyone think that it all was true?

   What about us?  What would we have thought if we were in their places?  What do we think now?  Is it all just a fairy tale to us?  A cute story that we tell once or twice a year & then forget, or write off as fiction?

  Hopefully, it is so much more to us.  Because it is all 100% true.  It is the only reason we have anything to celebrate.  Without Jesus, & all He is & all He has done, there is nothing.  He alone is the source of all our joy.  He is the only reason we even have Christmas.

  So, please, let’s be merry & bright.  Let’s spread cheer & festivity to all around us.  Let’s enjoy the beauty & love that surrounds us.  But let’s also remember to proclaim glory to God & thank Him for the absolute best gift of all time – Jesus Christ!

HALLELUJAH to the KING OF KINGS; to the LORD OF LORDS; to the PRINCE OF PEACE; our WONDERFUL COUNSELOR; the MIGHTY GOD; the EVERLASTING FATHER!  ALL PRAISE to IMMANUEL; to the ANOINTED ONE; to the MESSIAH; our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!