Third week in Advent

Third week in Advent

hope - peace - JOY - love -light

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-­nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”~ Luke 15:7

So we’ve established that Joy is being glad to see someone you enjoy being with, with whom you have some kind of love-relationship. We’ve even seen that it actually effects your brain chemistry in a positive way. Did you know that social workers and counselors look for a glossy glint in children’s eyes to tell if they’re being neglected or not?

Yeah, it’s not just drinking enough water to have healthy tear ducts, it’s a matter of whether or not your eyes “light-up.” As in “as soon as he/she enters the room your eyes light-up.” I think that’s what they mean when they say someone is the “apple of your eye.”

God delights in just being with you. One of the most memorable scenes in Frank Peretti’s series of novels about angels was in Piercing the Darkness when a human girl gets down on her knees in desperation and asks God into her life. The angels, in fact all of Heaven virtually EXPOLDE with joy and celebration.

Angels DELIGHT in being with God. Without sin as an obstacle, they get to enjoy His intimate presence all the time. Yet you are more important to Him than angels.

So imagine the explosive celebration when God’s own Son, Jesus was born to redeem you, me and all humans. I’d be blown away too if I was those shepherds.

You know the absolute ecstatic joy and delight parents have when they first get to hold their new born baby, right? And you remember the joy and excitement that you had as a little kid to get up Christmas morning and see all the things Santa brought you under the tree, right?

Christmas and Easter should bring you that same kind of ecstatic joy! The King of the universe came down at Christmas to save YOU! THE God loves YOU!

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

Bring joy to your servant,
for to you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul. (Psalm 86:4)

I love You Jesus,
Amen.