The Best Kind of Joy

Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, a few thoughts fill my mind. First, let us never lose sight of the wonder and simplicity of Christmas. Somewhere buried below all the rubble and rubbish of the commercial Christmas is a simple story with an eternal and glorious message. Christ came in the humblest of circumstances to fulfill a most wonderful plan that God had indisputably predetermined since the beginning of time. Christ is the treasure that we each need to rediscover this Christmas: the greatest gift that we could ever receive and give to one other. This message offers the lasting joy that so many search for at this time of the year through artificial means.

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

How incredible! God with us in the form of a baby brought forth in a lowly cattle stall. God with us in the form of a man who walked and talked with sinners and friends. God with us in the form of a man who loved His Father so much that He gave himself up so that we might know and be reunited to God forever. For that is what Emmanuel means – God with us forever. God came to earth to commune with us and then remain in fellowship with us forever. For starved of fellowship with God each of us are like a square peg in a round hole. Or as Augustine wisely said, ‘we are restless until we find our rest in Him.’ Even as Christians, we can grow restless when we refocus our attention and affection on anything else but Jesus for too long. God with us – this news brings eternal joy.

I wonder why God created finite beings and then chose to have fellowship with them. Surely not because He needed us. God in Himself is all sufficient – He is complete in the Trinity. Perhaps God did this incomprehensible act of creating mankind so that His wisdom, goodness, power and glory might be made manifest and seen in us. We stand amazed that God would condescendingly create a people (whom He knew would rebel against Him) and then chose to have intimate fellowship with them. The indescribable mercy and wisdom of God revealed in creating a people, fallen and yet through Christ, redeemed, fills us with unfathomable joy.

Ephesians 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Because of the gift of God – Christ becoming flesh and walking among us – we can now experience the glory of God living in us. How is that possible? We are the temple that Christ inhabits by the Holy Spirit. Every day and in every way, we can manifest the glory of God. And this will never cease. Emmanuel is the gift that just keeps on giving! Let us remember, even on our tired and not-so-great-days, that Christ with all His loveliness, goodness and power lives within us. Sometimes all we really need is a reminder. No wonder Scripture exhorts us to encourage one another daily.

This Christmas season let’s be empowered and lifted up by the message of Christmas. Let’s remind one another of what we often fail to see: that Christ came in humility not power, that God’s love to redeem the lost is relentless, and that there is no greater gift that will fill our hearts with unceasing praise and joy this Christmas. No other Christmas but the one God designed is comparable or worth pursuing. Let’s refocus on what really matters this season – Christ, the greatest gift of all.

“Heavenly Father, I am so easily distracted by the world’s idea of Christmas. And yet Your plan was very, very, different. Help me to enjoy and rejoice in Christ and the simple message of the gospel this season and to encourage others to do the same. Thank you. Amen.”