And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads:
They shall come obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:10
JOY!
Marva J. Dawn writes in her book Joy In Our Weakness, “Joy is the deep sense of God’s sustaining Presence, the realization that divine light is greater than any darkness that might temporarily assail us. Thus, Joy does not mean “happiness,” which is dependent upon human circumstances.”
My joy is not dependent upon my circumstances but instead comes from my relationship with my Creator, and that never changes. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
In these days of much uncertainty there is one thing for certain, and that is the God we serve.
What brings you JOY?
For me it is my family –
Including our furry ones –
The breaking of a new day –
The setting of the sun –
That first crop of spring – Asparagus!
Our church family –
As you light the third candle – the candle of JOY – let us remember that because Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, walked this earth in human form experiencing everything we experience, died on a cross at Calvary, rose from the grave defeating death, and now sits at the right hand of God our Father, we are redeemed. We live in the Joy of the Lord for Christ is our JOY!
But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for JOY, because Thou defendest them: let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee.
Psalm 5:11
Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of JOY;
at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm16:11
Rejoice in the LORD always; and again I say, REJOICE.
Philippians 4:4
These things have I spoken unto you,
that My JOY might remain in you,
and that your JOY might be full.
John 15:11
We light this candle as a symbol of Christ our JOY.
May the joyful promise of Your presence, O God,
make us rejoice in our hope of salvation.
O come, O come, Emmanuel.
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