Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King.
“for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 NIV
Isaac Watts wrote “Joy to the World” in 1719. Since then, every Christmas season, carolers cast those words into the air like a lifeline out into the ocean of humanity. And every “fish” surely finds something inviting and worth nibbling at. The thrill of hope within the message spools out to touch a weary world with anticipation of tasting something really good!
Joy came to the world because God our great Creator loved His creation so much that He sent His Son to reveal His story, and so that over time, His character and ultimate good will toward mankind would be recognized. The impact on earth of Christ’s birth will never diminish despite enemies’ attempts to stop it. John 21:25 says that the world would not be able to contain the books that could be written about what the Lord did while on earth. Since then many more testimonies of His transforming love have been and will be written.
Nehemiah 8 records that Nehemiah, the leaders and the people celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles with great joy, after sharing God’s Word. Rejoice in God’s Word and thoughts of the Savior’s birth, His purpose and His inheritance.
Questions:
What do you plan on rejoicing about during this Christmas season?
Angels we have on heard high Sweetly singing ore the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:14 KJV