JOY comes in different packages. This week the Lord revealed JOY to me in a number of ways.
The smiles of children at their school Christmas parties with the JOY of anticipating the week ahead with no school, presents, fun with family and friends…oh, and no homework!
The JOY of teen girls who prepared a beautiful breakfast to bless me, and indeed they did. The JOY on their faces as they shared what they believed about Jesus, what they were learning in Bible class, and the JOY of knowing they were blessing others.
The JOY reflected on people’s faces as they sing Christmas carols at church and also, at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Christmas program. The words of the Christmas carols resonated with the JOY of the message and meaning of Christmas.
Then an unexpected lesson in JOY arrived in a most unusual time and place. JOY showed up at a funeral of a dear lady. We think of funerals as sad occasions, and certainly there were tears because she will be dearly missed. But when a person knows Jesus, the message is also one of JOY, triumph and victory because we know the real life is beginning in heaven with the Lord and loved ones who have gone on before.
As I listened to the words spoken from others about her life, I learned about another JOY beyond the JOY of eternal life. It is the JOY of being content with whatever your lot is while you are on this earth. We often chase the elusive kind of joy only to find that it vanishes, evaporates, or disappoints.
This woman knew JOY, real JOY. Was her life easy and filled with luxuries? Far from it. One of her many crosses to bear was having a son who was severally mentally retarded and never progressed beyond the development of an infant. She lovingly, JOYfully cared for him each day of his 45 years – feeding him, changing him, loving him, and expecting nothing in return. Until the day she died, she considered herself to be the most blessed of women. She considered it all JOY.
That is the JOY that I pray to know this Christmas. At the funeral, which was a celebration of her life, I was convicted that I didn’t really understand JOY. People often say I am a JOYful person because I smile a lot. And indeed, I am happy. But, knowing JOY? Real JOY? I realized that I find Christmas JOY when my house is all perfectly decorated, my To-Do list has checks beside each item, the meals are prepared, the gifts are wrapped, my family is close, I am warm by the fire, anticipating wonderful times coming up, and the list goes on. But these are fleeting and could be gone in an instant. And tragically, if that were to happen, the question hovers in the air, too horrible to contemplate…would I still be JOYful?
The Bible has much to say about JOY. In the book of Nehemiah as they were rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem under very stressful circumstances, we read, “The JOY of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). I don’t think that meant the LORD was bringing Starbucks, Christmas cookies, and a video for their break-time.
This Christmas, may we be JOYful in hope (Romans 12:12) and JOYful always as we pray continually (1 Th. 5:16) so that His JOY may be in us (John 15:11).
JOY to the world, the LORD has come!
