Making Time for God

20. Joy

It's me again God,

It's always distressing to hear of various tragedies during the Christmas season. Accidents on the roads, natural disasters and deliberate acts of violence seem to rock us to the core at this time of year when we are singing of 'peace on earth and goodwill to men'. It almost seems wrong to be singing about joy, when loss is all around but there is a depth to the following famous carol which transcends all situations because the fact that Jesus has come into the world, has changed everything —even our sorrow:

Joy to the World; the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields & floods, rocks, hills & plains
Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.
Isaac Watts 1719

Written 300 years ago and yet just as true today, this song is a testament to the change You make in peoples lives. Based on the joy spoken of in Psalm 98, it's a carol that is appropriate for every day and every situation because true joy in Jesus is not touched by changing circumstances.

"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.
Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity."
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭98:4-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Lord our world so needs to make room for Jesus in their hearts. Help me to speak of the difference You have made in my life, to those who are trying to deal with all of life's ups and downs alone. Even through tears, the joy of Jesus' presence, stops us all from going under!

All of the earth shouts for joy even if I get caught up in the troubles of my own situation. The trees, rocks, sea, rivers and mountains acknowledge You and so will I! I look forward to repeating the sounding joy for the rest of my life until I am in Your presence.

Thank You Jesus for coming to make the blessings flow in every area of my life, in every circumstance. Sin and sorrows are laid aside in the presence of Jesus! Thank You for sending Your Son to be my Saviour, saving me from the curse of sin and death. In Jesus I have forgiveness and Eternal Life!

Thank You for ruling in my life! You rule with truth and grace! Thank You that I am surrounded by Your love and changed by Jesus' righteousness which allows me to come before You with a purity that I could never have had without the shedding of His blood on the cross. I am so filled with joy and peace!

I live to bring You glory,
Amen.