“May the Christmas morning
make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening
bring us to our beds
with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven,
for Jesus’ sake.”
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
Augustine got it right.
Jesus is exactly what
each of us needs.
“Let the just rejoice,
for their Justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
For their Saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
For their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice,
For their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice,
For Jesus Christ is born.”
St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
“Stir our hearts, we beseech you, to prepare ourselves to receive your Son. When he comes and knocks, may he find us not sleeping in sin, but awake to righteousness, ceaselessly rejoicing in his love. May our hearts and minds be so purified, that we may be ready to receive his promise of eternal life.” — The Gelasian Sacramentary (500)
Psalm 126:2-3 (NIV)
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Let’s count:
What great things has God done for us collectively?
What great things has God done for you personally?
Long list = great joy.
Good morning, Lord. You have showered blessings on us, on me — more than I can count. Thank You! Forgive me for collecting the hurts, focusing on unhappy events, tracking what I wish I had. Teach me to look for the good, to focus on the positive, to count my blessings … and to give You the glory for all the joy in my world.
“Begin to rejoice in the Lord, and your bones will flourish like an herb, and your cheeks will glow with the bloom of health and freshness. Worry, fear, distrust, care-all are poisonous! Joy is balm and healing, and if you will but rejoice, God will give power.” A. B. Simpson (1843-1919)
Joy may not cure everything, but joy makes everything better.
Good morning, Lord. Joy is comfort to my aching heart, fresh energy to my tired body, balm for my weary soul. Thank You for the joy you’ve brought to the world. Let it fill me, enlighten me, empower me, transform me. Sweep away my cynicism and negativity. Flood me — mind, heart and soul– with holy joy.
Philemon 1:7 (ESV)
For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
Tidings of comfort and joy, from heaven to earth, from angles to shepherds, from one believer to another.
Good morning, Lord. Advent is a season of joy, yes, but also of comfort — comfort in our grief and pain, knowing You will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4); comfort in our doubts, knowing You stand firm; comfort in our struggles, knowing You have a plan for our wellbeing; comfort in our weakness, knowing You are strong. Comfort refreshes my heart and fills me with joy.
Tidings of comfort and joy — teach me to share this good news with those around me.
1 Peter 1:8-9 (N(V)
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
The end result of our faith is salvation — oh joy, glorious joy!
Good morning, Lord. Thank You for stepping out of heaven and into the form of a baby. Thank You for sharing Your eternal wisdom with us. Thank You for dying for our sins, opening the door to eternal life. Thank You for so loving the world.
Thank You for loving me, just as I am. My heart overflows with joy.
“Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy.”
S. D. Gordon (1859-1936)
Joy: Jesus in the manger, Jesus on the cross, Jesus resurrected, Jesus on the throne … Jesus in my heart.
Good morning, Lord. We sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come,” but the whole world isn’t rejoicing. The doubt and distress I see around me don’t detract from Your message, God. It simply means there are folks who haven’t heard or don’t care. Open their hearts, change their minds — bring them to Jesus, fill them with joy.
James 3:18 (AMP)
And the seed whose fruit is righteousness (spiritual maturity) is sown in peace by those who make peace [by actively encouraging goodwill between individuals].
Plant seeds of peace, grow spiritual maturity. Plant seeds of goodwill, reap a harvest of righteousness.
Good morning, Lord. I want to sow seeds of peace, reaping a harvest of wisdom. I want to spread goodwill, leaving a trail of encouragement. Watch over my words and deeds, make them pure and righteous.
“Christ died. He left a will in which He gave His soul to His Father, His body to Joseph of Arimathea, His clothes to the soldiers, and His mother to John. But to His disciples, who had left all to follow Him, He left not silver or gold, but something far better – His PEACE!“
Matthew Henry (1662-1714)
Peace of God, peace with God … who could ask for anything more?
Good morning, Lord. I am grateful for Your peace: the peace I have, knowing my sins are forgiven; peace of mind, knowing I am no longer lost and never alone; the ability to keep my peace, knowing that vengeance is Yours and it’s not up to me to get even; peace in speech, the ability to give gentle answers when others are angry. Indeed, Your peace passes understanding (Philippians 4:7).
