“Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven,
And nature sing!”
1. “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME”
What is the JOY of the Lord?
Let me borrow from one of the most brilliant minds in Christian thinking, C.S. Lewis:
So we see here that in Mr. Lewis’ learned opinion, THIS joy is not only more desirable than any other pleasure this world offers, but it also can only be obtained through the power of God! You can only know this joy when Christ makes His home in your heart. Pleasure seekers, weary of constantly seeking greater satisfaction? Understandable. But this joy is a GIFT. You can’t buy it! You don’t have to seek it. Once you know Christ, this joy remains in you through the worst storms of life.
So the coming of Christ brought joy to the world. Why? Because Christ was, and is, not only the Son of God, but He joined us in His humanity as the mirror Image of God Himself. Anyone who saw Christ, saw the attributes of God.
“He will be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6b.
“He is the Image of the Invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth.” Colossians 1:-15-16.
“For God SO LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Truly a miracle beyond our grasp.
2. “LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!”
Sometimes, when life circumstances look grim, I like to remind myself and others that “we know the end of this story.” By that I mean that we look forward to the end of all time, when Christ will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. All that we see is temporary.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called FAITHFUL and TRUE….On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19: 11,16.
Those around the manger understood this. All of creation recognized His coming, from the Star who led the Wise Men, to the beasts who surrounded him with loving warmth in the stable.
Again we see that creation is the object of His incomprehensible love and generosity. Every creature, from the very tiniest. And that includes you and me.
In a world of chaos and turmoil, we only have to acknowledge Him as our personal Savior and Lord, and He will be the King of our hearts. He will bring that JOY unspeakable into YOUR life. You can receive Him any time, just by confessing your sins and opening your heart to Him.
3. “LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM”
Prepare room for Him in your heart by praying this simple prayer:
“Lord, I know that I am a sinner. I’ve sinned against you and can do nothing of myself to change my ways. I ask that you forgive me for my sins and come into my life right now. I thank you for cleansing me and making me new ~ a child of the King.”
Claim this promise today. Start reading the Word of God to find more strength. And find a church where you can worship Him, fellowship with other believers, and stay on the right path.
4. “AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING,
AND HEAVEN, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING.”
These are the last lines of that famous verse
. When Christ was born, angels from glory heralded His birth!
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.'”
Luke 2:13-14
All nature joined in the chorus, as it does today.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities ~ His eternal power and divine nature ~ have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been MADE, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
If you’re feeling down, consider this: the joy of the Lord can be yours! God is the same as He has always been. Just as Isaac Watts, out of the joyous abundance of his heart, penned these words in the year 1719.
Know Him; Know His joy!
Love,
Becky
In your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11
Rejoicing in the One who has come and is come and yet to come! hugs
Yes! Rejoicing in the joy that only He can give!