Third Sunday of Advent: Joy

Sometimes people use the words joy and happiness to mean the same thing, but they are indeed very different.  Happiness depends on our circumstances.  When our circumstances are favorable we feel happy, but when the circumstances turn bad we no longer feel happy, but we instead feel sad.

Joy on the other hand is not dependent upon our circumstances.  We can have a real sense of joy even when our lives are falling apart.  True joy in our hearts comes from having a proper relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

We experience joy in our hearts when we humble ourselves, repent of our sins, and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Joy is not something we can conger up ourselves.  Joy is implanted into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who indwells each of us who have trusted Jesus Christ and His finished work on the Cross for our sins.

We may be going through very difficult times and circumstances, but if we know the Lord we can still have a sense of joy in our hearts because we know God and we are known by Him as well.  The Lord loves us so very deeply and He cares for us.  The Lord has promised to be with us each step of the way on our journey here on earth.

We believers in Jesus Christ will one day leave this world and enter into Heaven where our joy will be complete for we will see the Lord as He is and be with Him forever.  That is our great hope and that should fill our hearts with an inexpressible joy.

During this Advent season as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ we sing many songs and hymns that speak of this special season.  One of my favorites is, "Joy to the World."


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.

The light of the world was coming into this world of darkness.  God was sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, on the greatest rescue missions ever.   God became man and dwelt among us.  We have a hard time wrapping our minds around that, but that is what God did.  

The joy of the Lord is our strength.  He is the One that places such joy in our hearts just by knowing Him in a personal way through Jesus Christ.  This week of Advent may we reflect on the joy we have in the Lord.

Lord,

We praise Your Name.

Thank You, Lord, for the joy in our hearts just by knowing You.

Lead us and guide us through the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.