So what’s your favorite Christmas carol? O Come All Ye Faithful? Away in A Manger? Silent Night? It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas? Okay, that last one’s not exactly a carol, but there are other special songs that people love this time of year as well.
But I’m going to stay with the carols and talk about a familiar one that might especially benefit many of us this year. It’s Joy To World. It’s easy to sing and always brings a warmth and specialness to any Christmas gathering or service but there’s more to notice beyond all that.
The words were written by Isaac Watts, one of the greatest hymn writers ever, but he never intended “Joy to the World” to be a song, especially not a Christmas song? In 1719, however, he published a book of poems based on Psalm 98.
“Joy to the World” was one of those poems however it was written to be a celebration of Jesus’s role as King of the church and the whole world. He intended it to show the return of Christ rather than His birth. For example, one verse starts with, “He rules the world with truth and grace.” That makes more sense when we understand more of the background.
Over one hundred years later a Boston music teacher named Lowell Mason discovered the words and set them to music. Because it was released at Christmas time as a song, it became a favorite carol.
And now you know the rest of the story. Well, not quite. Because you see, one of the most important words in the lyrics is JOY. And I don’t know about you but I don’t see or hear much about joy these days.
In a 2022 a Statista Global Consumer survey, showed that nearly half of Americans had experienced psychological problems in the past 12 months. Yes, joy can be hard to find or enjoy.
First of all, let me define this joy, that arrived with Jesus that first Christmas. Even the shepherds in the field we told about it the night angels announced Christ’s birth in Luke 2:10. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
Over thirty years later, Jesus also said that following Him and remaining in His love, would lead to having joy us and that joy could be complete.” John 15:11 He said later as well that when we pray, we’ll get what we ask for if it will bring us joy. John 16:24
So what is joy? It’s not merely happiness. We can have joy both in the great moments of life or in the middle of our hardest times. Happiness won’t do that. Joy usually includes happiness but isn’t limited to happiness. Joy is more, it’s deeper, it’s better and it lasts Here’s one definition.
Joy is the emotion we feel whenever we experience the greatness of God resulting in the assurance that He is with us and enough in whatever we’re up against or enjoying in the moment.
So for me, some of my most joyful moments include seeing my children or grandchildren born or as brand new to the world. It’s when I’m in the mountains looking at the grandeur of God or when I have an encounter with someone that I know was ordained and planned by God. Or when I’ve had the wonderful experience to show someone how to become a Christian and then see them join God’s family.
But I’ve also had joy in some of my hardest, even worst moments. When I or we have lost someone dear and special to us, I’ve had joy that I felt through my tears and heartache. The pain was great, but God’s presence was greater. I knew that God was in control and present there with me and my other loved ones. It was an Emmanuel (God With Us) moment that also brought joy in spite of a limit or lack of happiness right then.
That’s the joy to the world that Jesus brought to earth over 2000 years ago. It won’t come from having more or less. It will come from inside, from a new heart and new mind, resulting in an overwhelming thankfulness for God’s goodness and blessing and/or a peace and calm in the middle of our storm. Both reactions constitute joy.
So this Christmas, as a Christ follower, you have an opportunity to embrace joy in spite of perhaps disappointments about Christmas this year or what happened this past year or what you’re facing this coming one.
And if you are wonderfully blessed and positive this year, you’ll be that much more thankful for even, in fact especially, the little moments when you see, hear or feel the greatness of God all around you.
Look at your circumstances through Jesus’ eyes. In your loss, look for a gain. In your sadness, taste something good. Or in your busyness, stop and savor the moment.
How? Because of, sing it with me, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.” Merry Christmas.
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