by John Doyle
“And the Angel said to them Fear not for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto us is born this day in the City of David a Savior Who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
I am sure like me you enjoy the Christmas season. I love the cheerful decorations that my wife Barbara has put up in our home, Barbara and I love spending time with family and friends, and eating Christmas goodies.
One of my very favorite parts of Christmas, though, is singing Christmas Carols with my daughter Jenni playing the piano and we all take the opportunity to join in with her singing the Carols together. One of my all time Christmas favorite’s is “JOY TO THE WORLD” This is one of the ways we as Gods people announce to the World the very reason for Christmas.
Read Psalm 98 and you will see where Isaac Watts’s eighteenth century Carol celebrating the coming of Jesus, is from. v 4 says “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth, break forth into joyous song and sing Praises”
The joy of the Savior’s coming resounds throughout all of creation, even the fields and rocks and hills and plains “repeat the sounding joy.” This is great news that this World we live in needs to hear for all of God’s people as we go through this difficult time.
What’s so special about this news announced in song each Christmas? Why sing this carol with such exuberance? Watts answers that question in the verses of the song, where he declares that Jesus has come to deal with the curse of human sin. Through Jesus death, burial and resurrection Jesus brings the blessings as “far as the curse is found.”
We have been released from bondage to sin and the power of death over us, we are now freed to live with joy, to love God and our neighbor, and declare the Joy we have in Jesus to peoples of this earth that God sends our way. So let’s sing with joy that good news: “JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME”
Our Prayer for today is:
Dear Lord Jesus, you have come and released us from the power of sin and death.
Thank you Lord, please help us to live in ways that will proclaim the wonders of your love this Christmas time
and until we see you Face to Face.
Thank you Lord, please help us to live in ways that will proclaim the wonders of your love this Christmas time
and until we see you Face to Face.
In the Love of the Lord Jesus,
John and Barbara
Lets sing along together as we get closer to that Day when “Joy to the World” came through the Birth of our Lord and Savior.
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! The Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy
Thank you for sharing this devotional. God bless you. ❤️💕💚 John and Barbara
Thank you for sharing this devotional song. God bless you.🦌🎅🎁