“Joy to the World” is one of the most famous Christmas songs of all time. As we get into the holiday season, you may find yourself listening to more and more Christmas music. That means that you will probably come across this song. While we’ve heard “Joy to the World” hundreds or thousands of times, take a moment and think about what that song really means. In a season where we become even more aware of the joy of the Lord, discover how and why to find joy this Christmas season.
“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”
-Joy to the World: Isaac Watts 1719
More than 300 years ago, an English minister and hymnwriter sat down and penned the words to “Joy to the World.” Undoubtedly, Reverend Watts had no way of knowing that billions of people around the world would still be singing his song decades after it was written.
While there are plenty of older, traditional Christmas songs out there, it is a curious thing that this particular song has been a part of Christmas-related worship services for so long. Why do you think that this song has been able to stand the test of time? It’s probably because humans are always looking for joy.
Joy, while often confused with happiness, is its own unique feeling. Happiness comes and goes quickly. You can be happy about the short line at the coffee shop on your way to work and then get to work only to find something that removes that happiness. Joy goes deeper than that. Our joy is primarily based on our relationship with Christ. When we have that type of joy in our lives, it’s significantly more difficult for something “minor” to take that away.
This Christmas season, “Joy to the World” can be so much more than just another song. Instead, it can be the anthem of your heart. In a season where joy is often replaced by stress, financial pressure, and other sources of anxiety, it is important that God’s people understand how and why to truly embrace the joy of Christ’s arrival.
It’s Not Just a Christmas Song
Psalm 126:2-3 (NLT)
We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!
The joy of the Lord, while often focused on during the Christmas season, isn’t something that is limited to the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead, as children of God, we can rest in the joy of the Lord every day of our lives.
In the 126th Psalm, the writer focused on the good things that the Lord had done on behalf of the nation of Israel. While he was primarily focusing on God’s supernatural deliverance, it’s easy for us to relate to the first part of this passage.
Take a moment and think back to a joyous time in your life where you were “filled with laughter” and “sang for you.” While it doesn’t have to be Christmas-related, it’s easy to look back at some holiday festivities and find a time where you, along with some loved ones, were filled with laughter. Those moments are gifts from God. They are physical manifestations of His blessings in your life.
In those moments, others take note of how blessed you are. This is especially true if you feel like you’re struggling to find evidence of God’s blessings in your own life. There are plenty of times in our lives where we often overlook the blessings that other people are praying for.
Today, take an inventory of some of the greatest moments of your life. Soon, you will be able to say, “Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for me! What joy!”
God’s Joy is a Two-Way Street
Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
While we are primarily focusing on the ways that God brings joy into our own lives, it’s important to understand that we, as believers, are a great source of joy for God. Isn’t that remarkable to consider? The same God who spoke and created the world and everything in it takes joy over your very existence.
All of us have different sources of joy. There are some things in one person’s life that may not seem significant to someone else. However, that does nothing to minimize the amount of joy that the first person experiences. For instance, some people find unspeakable joy in simply sitting beside a lake with a fishing rod in their hand. Meanwhile, other people find joy in being covered up beside a fire with a good book in their hands. Our sources of joy are often unique to us.
In the same way, God takes unique joy in each of us. You, exactly like you are, bring God joy. Why do you think that is? It’s because God doesn’t view us as “little things.” In the same way that the person who finds joy in fishing doesn’t consider fishing a “little thing,” God doesn’t view any of us as little. Instead, we are great sources of joy for Him.
Today, recognize the things in your life that bring you joy, and thank God for them. Your interests and the things that you truly care about may seem small to someone else, but they can bring you great joy. That joy is the byproduct of God’s blessings in your life. He blesses you because He takes joy in you. Embrace those blessings and the joy that they provide.
God’s Joy is For Everyone
Luke 2:9-10 (NLT)
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified., but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Finally, if you’re struggling to find joy this holiday season, take heart in the fact that the joy that was distributed on the first Christmas night is for you. In fact, it is for everyone! The conversation that is recorded in the second chapter of Saint Luke’s Gospel took place between angels and shepherds. This was certainly no coincidence. Obviously, outside of Christ, there was no higher beings on Earth than the angels. These messengers, which had been hand-selected by God were sent to the world to share the good news of Christ’s birth.
The other participants in this conversation were a group of shepherds. In the eyes of society, there were few people considered less important than shepherds. They primarily lived outside with sheep, received very little, if any, compensation, and were widely ignored by society. Yet God sent angels to deliver the news of His Son’s birth to them before He told anyone else about it.
That was God’s way of declaring that this joy was for everyone. Social class didn’t matter, a person’s background didn’t matter, none of it mattered! The only thing that mattered was that God’s joy had come to the world, and it was free for everyone to experience.
If you’re struggling with your own self-worth, take heart. God has declared that you are worthy of His joy. He doesn’t care where you’ve been or what you have done, the presence of His Son in this world was just for you.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, during this time of year which often causes me to experience stress, help me to find Your joy. Instead of looking at what others have and focusing on what I’m lacking, help me to rejoice in the things that You have done for me. Thank You for every blessing in my life, those that I consider big, and those that I have considered small are all the evidence of Your goodness. In Christ’s name, Amen.
“Joy to the World” is one of the most famous Christmas songs of all time. As we get into the holiday season, you may find yourself listening to more and more Christmas music. That means that you will probably come across this song. While we’ve heard “Joy to the World” hundreds or thousands of times, take a moment and think about what that song really means. In a season where we become even more aware of the joy of the Lord, discover how and why to find joy this Christmas season.
“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”
-Joy to the World: Isaac Watts 1719
More than 300 years ago, an English minister and hymnwriter sat down and penned the words to “Joy to the World.” Undoubtedly, Reverend Watts had no way of knowing that billions of people around the world would still be singing his song decades after it was written.
While there are plenty of older, traditional Christmas songs out there, it is a curious thing that this particular song has been a part of Christmas-related worship services for so long. Why do you think that this song has been able to stand the test of time? It’s probably because humans are always looking for joy.
Joy, while often confused with happiness, is its own unique feeling. Happiness comes and goes quickly. You can be happy about the short line at the coffee shop on your way to work and then get to work only to find something that removes that happiness. Joy goes deeper than that. Our joy is primarily based on our relationship with Christ. When we have that type of joy in our lives, it’s significantly more difficult for something “minor” to take that away.
This Christmas season, “Joy to the World” can be so much more than just another song. Instead, it can be the anthem of your heart. In a season where joy is often replaced by stress, financial pressure, and other sources of anxiety, it is important that God’s people understand how and why to truly embrace the joy of Christ’s arrival.
It’s Not Just a Christmas Song
Psalm 126:2-3 (NLT)
We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!
The joy of the Lord, while often focused on during the Christmas season, isn’t something that is limited to the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead, as children of God, we can rest in the joy of the Lord every day of our lives.
In the 126th Psalm, the writer focused on the good things that the Lord had done on behalf of the nation of Israel. While he was primarily focusing on God’s supernatural deliverance, it’s easy for us to relate to the first part of this passage.
Take a moment and think back to a joyous time in your life where you were “filled with laughter” and “sang for you.” While it doesn’t have to be Christmas-related, it’s easy to look back at some holiday festivities and find a time where you, along with some loved ones, were filled with laughter. Those moments are gifts from God. They are physical manifestations of His blessings in your life.
In those moments, others take note of how blessed you are. This is especially true if you feel like you’re struggling to find evidence of God’s blessings in your own life. There are plenty of times in our lives where we often overlook the blessings that other people are praying for.
Today, take an inventory of some of the greatest moments of your life. Soon, you will be able to say, “Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for me! What joy!”
God’s Joy is a Two-Way Street
Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
While we are primarily focusing on the ways that God brings joy into our own lives, it’s important to understand that we, as believers, are a great source of joy for God. Isn’t that remarkable to consider? The same God who spoke and created the world and everything in it takes joy over your very existence.
All of us have different sources of joy. There are some things in one person’s life that may not seem significant to someone else. However, that does nothing to minimize the amount of joy that the first person experiences. For instance, some people find unspeakable joy in simply sitting beside a lake with a fishing rod in their hand. Meanwhile, other people find joy in being covered up beside a fire with a good book in their hands. Our sources of joy are often unique to us.
In the same way, God takes unique joy in each of us. You, exactly like you are, bring God joy. Why do you think that is? It’s because God doesn’t view us as “little things.” In the same way that the person who finds joy in fishing doesn’t consider fishing a “little thing,” God doesn’t view any of us as little. Instead, we are great sources of joy for Him.
Today, recognize the things in your life that bring you joy, and thank God for them. Your interests and the things that you truly care about may seem small to someone else, but they can bring you great joy. That joy is the byproduct of God’s blessings in your life. He blesses you because He takes joy in you. Embrace those blessings and the joy that they provide.
God’s Joy is For Everyone
Luke 2:9-10 (NLT)
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified., but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Finally, if you’re struggling to find joy this holiday season, take heart in the fact that the joy that was distributed on the first Christmas night is for you. In fact, it is for everyone! The conversation that is recorded in the second chapter of Saint Luke’s Gospel took place between angels and shepherds. This was certainly no coincidence. Obviously, outside of Christ, there was no higher beings on Earth than the angels. These messengers, which had been hand-selected by God were sent to the world to share the good news of Christ’s birth.
The other participants in this conversation were a group of shepherds. In the eyes of society, there were few people considered less important than shepherds. They primarily lived outside with sheep, received very little, if any, compensation, and were widely ignored by society. Yet God sent angels to deliver the news of His Son’s birth to them before He told anyone else about it.
That was God’s way of declaring that this joy was for everyone. Social class didn’t matter, a person’s background didn’t matter, none of it mattered! The only thing that mattered was that God’s joy had come to the world, and it was free for everyone to experience.
If you’re struggling with your own self-worth, take heart. God has declared that you are worthy of His joy. He doesn’t care where you’ve been or what you have done, the presence of His Son in this world was just for you.
A Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, during this time of year which often causes me to experience stress, help me to find Your joy. Instead of looking at what others have and focusing on what I’m lacking, help me to rejoice in the things that You have done for me. Thank You for every blessing in my life, those that I consider big, and those that I have considered small are all the evidence of Your goodness. In Christ’s name, Amen.