Last week on Christmas Eve I sat and sang “Joy to the World” as I have almost every year. My voice was loud, my heart was dancing, and for some reason this year the power of the lyrics jumped out at me. Maybe I’ve enjoyed the music accompanying the lyrics in the past and didn’t fully grasp what Isaac Watts was trying to say when he published “Joy to the World” in 1719. Here are the lyrics. Read them without singing and soak in the news they bring.
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 Saviour reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and 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.
How was it? Did the hope and joy and praise and wonder fill your heart as you traversed the lyrics? This simple song helps launch us into a celebration of the Savior’s birth! Christmas Day has passed but we should not forget that Jesus is now here. Here to reign. Here to trample sins and sorrows. Here to bless us. Here to rule the world with truth and grace. Here to help define love. He is HERE…Jesus Christ is HERE. JOY TO THE WORLD!
Our calendar year is nearing its end and we’re looking forward to what next year will bring. May your hope for 2021 be founded in nothing earthly. ANYTHING of the such is temporary. I pray that your hope for next year is based SOLEY on the joy brought on by the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ. I fully believe an unwavering faith in Jesus will bring us all a resounding joy that can only be experienced with Him in your heart!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Joy to the world!
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