Continuing in the procession of advent, lets reflect on joy.
 
What is the essence of joy? What is it the produces such an overwhelming sense of thanks and gratitude that is so infectious - this thing called joy.  Joy is defined as the source or cause of delight. So how does joy enter into the picture of the night when all things changed forever. Meet: Jesus.
 
When the angel of the Lord came to Mary, this was said of Jesus: “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth” (Luke 1:14). Jesus was and is and forever will be the gift of love from Almighty God, our Heavenly Father.  This gift of love plays a double role - for Jesus is also a gift of joy.  Through the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, nations forever had birthed inside of them a response to the joy Jesus brought and continues to bring.    If you look through the Scriptures when joy is described, it almost always paired with an action:  bring joy, sing for joy, dance with joy, shout for joy, etc. etc. The action displayed on that holy night in Bethlehem was the ultimate giving of joy from God.
 
Through Jesus, our joy is made complete.  The greatest, most authentic joy is found in our salvation in Christ Jesus.  This action is purely enough to leave us singing, dancing, shouting with joy for what the birth, life, and death-resurrection means to us as Christ’s followers.  Yet it is so easy to loose this joy.  We often forget the power that simple salvation has, and how much we have to be joyful.  The Psalmist wrote an endearing request of the Lord in Psalm 51, stating “restore to me the joy of Your salvation, restore to me the wonders of Your love” (Psalm 51:12).  If you are in that place where you have lost some of the simple, yet amazing joy found in the saving grace and love of Jesus, recite that Scripture as your prayer, “God, restore to me the joy of Your salvation!”  Let the joy of the Lord enter into your hearts in abundant way this Christmas season, reflecting on the peace and joy that this momentous occasion brought to us on that night, and continues to bring us this day and forever.
 
Joy to the world the Lord has come. Let earth receive he king. Let every heart, prepare Him room. And heaven and nature sings.