God’s Promises

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

…………

1        I will exalt you, LORD,

    for you lifted me out of the depths

    and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

2        LORD my God, I called to you for help,

    and you healed me.

3        You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;

    you spared me from going down to the pit.

4        Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;

    praise his holy name.

5        For his anger lasts only a moment,

    but his favor lasts a lifetime;

weeping may stay for the night,

    but rejoicing comes in the morning.

6        When I felt secure, I said,

    “I will never be shaken.”

7        LORD, when you favored me,

    you made my royal mountain stand firm;

but when you hid your face,

    I was dismayed.

8        To you, LORD, I called;

    to the LORD I cried for mercy:

9        “What is gained if I am silenced,

    if I go down to the pit?

Will the dust praise you?

    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

10      Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;

    LORD, be my help.”

11      You turned my wailing into dancing;

    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12      that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.

    LORD my God, I will praise you forever. (Psalm 30, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Joseph and Mary were forced into a manger where the Son of God was born, because “there was no room in the inn.” I wonder if this statement is truer for us today—not enough room for Jesus in our lives.

On the night that Jesus was born, Luke describes an angel of the Lord ap­pearing to some shepherds who were watching their flocks and told them that he brought good news of great joy (Luke 2:8-20). The coming of Jesus was good news of great joy.

Is the coming of Christmas day good news of great joy to you? Or is your holiday season filled with frenetic activity: making plans, dealing with dif­ficult family members, worrying about your house or kids or gifts?

For some, Christmas is a reminder of loved ones lost, unmet expectations, an absent father. This seems like a far cry from good news of great joy. And though well-meant, a bumper sticker reminder of “Jesus is the reason for the season” doesn’t make us feel much better.

So what are we to do if Christmas is an occasion for stress or sorrow? It is tempting to put on a smile and push through the festivities without bringing other people down. However, a serious consideration of Advent causes us to long for more than mustering a smile or faking it.

We long for authentic joy, but how do we get it?

As opposed to any false sense of joy that we try and acquire for ourselves, it is important to establish a fundamental principle about joy: that is, joy is not acquired, but experienced. Meaning, much like grace, joy is a gift we receive. Joy is a response to God’s free grace. We can’t control it, manufac­ture it, or tell it what to do. It can’t be bought at any price.

Happiness is not the same as joy. It often accompanies joy, but it is more circumstantial. It ebbs and flows depending on the occasion. Joy, on the other hand, is an abiding delight in someone or something you love.

Advent is a journey to joy, but it is not we who are traveling. Joy is coming to us. Commenting on Hebrews 12:2, which says, “for the joy set before him Jesus endured the cross,” John Piper says “the joy set before him” is us—those whom he came to redeem. The joy that drove Jesus to earth, to be born in a manger, to be persecuted and to be killed on the cross is the redemption of his Church. Advent beckons us to slow down and to look to Jesus, who delights in us to the point of his own death, so that our joy may be complete in him. Anticipation gives way to arrival. Longing gives way to experience.

PRAYER:

Father, during this Advent season may we experience you in ways that produce a deep and abiding delight in you. You sent your Son to come to us to purchase us, to redeem us, to save us at great cost to yourself. May our delight in you be found in these truths rather than fleeting feelings of sentimentality and happiness. Like Jesus whose delight in you was so deep that he was obedi­ent to the point of death, might our joy be made full in you even in times of waiting or suffering. We cannot manufacture joy, Father. Give us joy and make us joyful because of who you are and what you have done.