Joy to the World

Most Christmas Eve services I’ve attended (and I’ve attended a lot!) have included the hymn Joy to the World! I love the exuberance of this hymn:

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the World, written by Isaac Watts, is one of the most fascinating Christmas hymns. It’s not based on Luke 2; rather, the lyrics are a paraphrase of Psalm 98:4–6, where the Psalmist writes:
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the LORD, the King.”

Most intriguing is that this great hymn doesn’t celebrate the first coming of Christ to a manger; instead, it celebrates the promise of His second coming. I don’t know about you, but I find that fascinating! We live in a time of second Advent, waiting expectantly for Christ’s return.

As you celebrate Christmas this week, be mindful that the story doesn’t end in the manger. We look forward to the second coming of our King.

We wait with:

Expectant Hope

I don’t know where your hope level is this Christmas season. You might be fresh out of hope. Take courage: Jesus will come again. John writes in Revelation that he saw heaven open and Christ coming with the armies of heaven following Him. On His robe and His thigh were written, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:16).

We hope for a triumphant King. We are not left wondering, How does it all end? Does evil win? Nope! Our King of Kings and Lord of Lords is victorious, and He will come again to reign in victory.

Exuberant Joy

Our joy is not tied to our circumstances. It’s tied to our relationship with Christ. Even in our grieving, we experience glimmers of joy through Him. It might not look like happiness, but it’s a deep-seated attachment to Christ that gives us our reason for living.

This Christmas, ask the Holy Spirit to awaken new joy in you. Enjoy quiet moments with Christ and savor the moments with the people you love. This is the stuff of joy.

Extraordinary Peace

We live in a world where fear constantly bombards us. The media thrives on inducing fear. But we know the Prince of Peace, who reigns forever. He offers extraordinary peace, even in the worst circumstances. Lean into Him this Christmas and praise Him for the peace He promises to you.

Friend, as we look expectantly toward the second coming of Christ, find your strength in the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Listen to Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful) as sung by Phil Wickham. As you listen, praise God that He will come again. You can count on it!

As you look to the New Year, why not gather 3–4 friends and do a book study of Cultivating Deeper Connections in a Lonely World? I guarantee your relationships will grow deeper, and you’ll feel more connected as you enter the new year. 

This week on The Connected Mom Podcast, we’re having a conversation with New York Times bestselling author and organizer Dana K. White. We’ll be talking about her new book, Jesus Doesn’t Care About Your Messy House—He Cares About Your Heart. You’ll love this conversation, so be sure to listen in!