Advent: Celebrating Christ's ArrivalSample

Day 4: Joy

Devotional:

Christ’s coming is a reason to celebrate with joy! Isaiah 65:17-25 paints a vivid and captivating image of God’s promise to create a new heavens and a new earth—a realm of unparalleled joy and delight. In the midst of our world’s brokenness, this promise serves as a profound reminder that God is actively engaged in the process of restoration, offering a joy that surpasses all imagination.

Psalm 126 beautifully captures the exuberant joy of the Israelites upon their return from exile. Their mouths resonated with laughter and resounded with songs of joy, for they recognized the magnificent deeds God had wrought on their behalf. The psalmist also acknowledges that the path to joy can sometimes be paved with sorrow: “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.”

This sentiment resonates deeply with Advent—a season marked by waiting. Although we anticipate the arrival of the good news that will bring great joy, we currently reside in a time often characterized by tears, sorrow, and pain.

John 3:22-30 recounts the joyful anticipation of John the Baptist as he prepares the way for Jesus. He likens himself to the friend of the bridegroom who eagerly awaits the bridegroom’s arrival. John’s joy reaches its zenith upon hearing the voice of Jesus.

During Advent, we emulate John the Baptist as we prepare our hearts for the Messiah’s coming. In doing so, we can experience profound joy—a joy rooted in the knowledge that God faithfully keeps His promises. This joy fills our hearts as we eagerly await the advent of the Lord, embracing the anticipation and hope that characterize this season.

Anticipated presence can bring immediate joy. Just the thought that I will soon be with my laughing grandchildren, that my whole family will gather for a wonderful meal, and that I will play golf with my sons-in-law. The anticipated presence of being together fills my heart with wondrous and joyful anticipation. How much more exciting to think that soon, and very soon, we are going to see the King; that all sorrow, pain, confusion, and most importantly, separation will be gone. Anticipating His presence fills me with overwhelming joy in the here and now.

Reflection Point: Embrace the joy that God provides, understanding that the efforts you’ve invested will yield something greater, even when facing challenges that make quitting seem easier. How can you find joy today, knowing that something remarkable is being forged within you?