Joy To The World
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” In the first line of this classic Christmas carol, written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, we have a proclamation of joy and why we should be joyful. Joy is not happiness, but we often get these two confused. Happiness is fleeting and is often tied to circumstances. Joy is constant and cannot be taken from us. We have joy because of what God has done for us and who He says we are. Maybe you can’t be happy about the family get together you are obligated to attend, perhaps someone is going to be there who has hurt you or who just sucks the fun out of a room—remember that while they might try to steal or crush happiness, they cannot steal your joy. You can have joy in the Lord, joy that our Savior has come and paid the penalty of our sin anywhere you are and no matter who you are with. You can have joy in all circumstances.
“‘This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!’” (Nehemiah 8:10b)
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
When my children get frustrated, I ask them what’s wrong, and it turns out something they are trying to do on their own isn’t working; it’s difficult and they have let themselves get to the point where they are angry and frustrated. So I ask them, “Why didn’t you ask me for help?” They tried on their own for a bit and it didn’t work, so all they had to do was ask me for help and I would have helped them—and they wouldn’t have gotten so angry. I think we can be this way with God about our joy sometimes. Sometimes we don’t feel joyful, but we don’t ask God to fill us completely with joy. If you are feeling like your joy is running low, go to the source! Ask God to fill you completely with joy and peace!
“Let every heart prepare Him room.” Is there room in your heart for Christ? When He was born there was literally no room for Him, and the same is true for the hearts of millions today—people have chosen to not make room for Him. Even after we’ve accepted Jesus into our hearts, we can make it a crowded space. We pack it full of bitterness, anger, lust, or foul language. Sometimes we do this intentionally, but sometimes things fester in our hearts and they go unnoticed until we see that we’ve made it very crowded. Is there room for Jesus?
“But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.” (Matthew 15:18)
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
This season, remember that our joy comes from the Lord. No one can steal it away, and we can be joyful in all circumstances. Make sure that you have room in your heart for Christ. Get rid of all other things that can crowd your heart, and let Jesus constantly create in you a clean heart, overflowing with His love.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
—Redeemed
