THE ADVENT – JOY

The theme for the third Sunday of Advent is JOY. The Bible talks about 200 plus times on the topic of joy. When we read the Bible, we sense that JOY is something very different from the general happiness, that one talks about. This joy come to us, only because of the LORD, and is not something, that we can possess on our own. Let us see some verses from the Bible to get a grip over biblical JOY.

1- GOD FILLS US WITH JOY
– “13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13
2- THE JOY IS OUR STRENGTH
– “…the joy of the LORD is your strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10
3- JOY IS A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
– “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23

The Holman Bible Dictionary defines biblical joy, in the following words.
– “The happy state that results from knowing and serving God…Joy is the fruit of a right relation with God. It is not something people can create by their own efforts…The Bible distinguishes joy from pleasure. The Greek word for pleasure is the word from which we get our word hedonism , the philosophy of self-centered pleasure-seeking.”

The Christian joy is not merely, happiness and pleasure, in an earthly sense. This joy makes us to rise, over and above, all the problems, and the pain, in and around us, and helps us to ride over those very waves, which are meant to test and trouble us. HalleluYah!!!
– “4 REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. Again I will say, rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4
– “16 REJOICE ALWAYS, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS; FOR THIS is the WILL of GOD in CHRIST JESUS for YOU.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Commenting on the nature of Christian joy, Matthew Henry observed this…
– “All our joy must terminate in God; and our thoughts of God must be delightful thoughts. It is our duty and privilege to rejoice in God, and to rejoice in him always; at all times, in all conditions. There is enough in God to furnish us with matter of joy in the worst circumstance on earth. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice. If good men have not a continual feast, it is their own fault.”

Paul writing to the Corinthian Christians, explains to them the nature of godly joy, in 2 Corinthians 6:10. But to understand it, we ought to read the whole context, in which, verse 10 is set.
– “3 We give no offence in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 AS SORROWFUL, YET ALWAYS REJOICING; AS POOR, YET MAKING MANY RICH; AS HAVING NOTHING, and YET POSSESSING ALL THINGS.” – 2 Corinthians 6:3-10

What kind of JOY is in our hearts? Does the joy that say we have, measures up to the joy that the Bible talks about? Does the joy that we have is, like the wellspring of unlimited source of happiness and strength, which keeps us, focussed and steady on the course, that we are called to walk? If it does, then we have the right kind of joy! May the joy of the LORD, which passeth all understanding, lead us through all that is happening, in and around us, with His JOY. Even so the LORD, fill us with Your JOY.