Joy is HERE!

“And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy.” – Matthew 2:10

During this time of the year, we hear the word “joy” tossed around…a lot.  Like the phrase “Peace, Love and Joy to You and Yours!” or when we sing the carol “Joy to the World.”  The dictionary defines the word “joy” as a feeling of great happiness.  When I stop and think about experiences or situations (or people…my grandfather’s initials were J.O.Y.) in which I have felt or seen joy, I simply can’t help but smile and I’m sure it is the same way for you too.  I suppose “joy” is used a lot at Christmas-time because we typically associate feelings of great happiness with the Christmas season.

Joy can most definitely be used to describe the feelings of those individuals who were a part of the First Christmas.  I have no doubt in my mind that both Mary and Joseph were filled with great joy at the birth of Jesus.  Joy that not only was the baby was born healthy, but also great joy that this baby would be the Savior of the World!  Remember what the angels told them?  Gabriel said to Mary, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).  And to Joseph the angel said, “And she [Mary] will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). 

The shepherds were filled with joy at the news of this newborn King (okay, after they shook off the initial shock from seeing the host of angels).  The angel even told them that the news they were delivering was of the happy kind, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people!” (Luke 2:10).  And so excited and happy were the shepherds at actually finding out for themselves that this news was indeed true, that they told everyone they came in contact with (Luke 2:17)!

And last, but certainly not least, the wisemen were filled with joy after finding the Christ-child after a long and arduous journey to Bethlehem.  As they followed the star over great distances, upon arriving in Bethlehem, they noticed that it “stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9).  They knew that because it had stopped that their journey was over, their quest complete, and that they had finally found the King they had waited so long to worship.  Matthew 2:10 tells us, “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!”

I know that for some at Christmas, joy is the last emotion you want to be feeling this time of year.  Feelings of loss, regret, guilt, worry and sadness creep in this time of year and joy doesn’t even make it on the list.  For me, this Christmas is the first Christmas without my grandfather, who we would spend time with each Christmas at his assisted living home.  Also, my dad is facing a surgery soon that no one anticipated a couple of weeks ago.  It’s hard to have joy when a piece of you is missing or when you are worried about something in the coming year. 

Then I stop and think about these wisemen.  The Bible doesn’t say they had seen Jesus and then were filled with joy.  They were filled with joy BEFORE they saw him!  They were filled with joy because they knew the star signified that he was there! 

Joy should fill our hearts this Christmas because we know that Jesus is here!  He promises to never leave us or forsake us, to give us peace, to comfort us…and the list goes on and on!  His promises and the other things He has told us through the Scriptures aren’t to fill us with questions or concerns, they are to fill us with hope and joy!  “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow!” (John 16:11).  No matter what you are facing this Christmas…or into the coming year, know this…Jesus is HERE.  He longs for your presence.  He awaits your worship.  He wants to fill you with His joy.  No matter the circumstance.

Like the wisemen, we haven’t seen Him yet!  Like the wisemen, we follow the light (of the Word) in order to guide us to Him!  Like the wisemen, one day, as believers, we will get to worship at the feet of Jesus!  Now THAT’S something to have joy about!  

Joy to the world, the Lord is HERE!