Joy to the World!



"Behold I stand at the door
and knock."



Of course, you think of Christmas when you hear someone sing “Joy to the World.” It is a wonderful Christmas hymn, but so much more! Too often we limit our appreciation of the song because certain associations have developed around it, either in our own experience or in our culture. “Joy to the Word” is one of the few Christmas hymns, or maybe the only one, that is not specifically about Jesus' birth. Is there any reason why it must be sung only at this season? No, it would be appropriate in March or July or October as well! (Although you might be called upon to do some explaining!)

Isaac Watts wrote this hymn, not particularly as a Christmas carol, but as a paraphrase of Psalm 98:4-9. Whereas the Psalmist did not understand in a personal way the Savior's coming, Watts definitely relates the words of the psalm to Jesus' life of ministry on earth. 

Joy to the world! The Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world! The Savior reigns;

Let men their songs employ,

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy. 

These two verses celebrate the incarnation, the Word becoming flesh, dwelling with us to conquer sin and death and to bring the reality of God's kingdom to our hearts. The next verse is prophetic, looking ahead to Jesus' return in glory.

No more let sin and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found.

Then Jesus will rule with truth and grace, and His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy will be made manifest among all nations and to all people. 

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of love. 

The next time you hear this hymn, maybe a few more times before the New Year begins, pause a moment and repeat to yourself, “Yes, the Lord is come!” He is, but not just at Christmas, Immanuel, “God with us!”

MaryMartha

Art from www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/pictures

"God Don't Like Ugly"



"[He] rescues the wretched who've been
thrown out with the trash . . ."

I came across that book title the other day, and had an immediate reaction of disbelief. Actually there is more than one book by that title. One is a well-received novel, another, a book about African-American family values. It is the title that puts me off. What young person browsing through library or bookstore shelves wants to be confronted with “GOD Don't Like Ugly”? A lot of people, old and young alike, have self-esteem that is fragile enough already without a reminder printed in big yellow letters!

It isn't true, anyway. Had God not loved the people of the world even when they were damaged and made “ugly” by sin, there would be no Christmas, no Savior coming to bring salvation. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8) And He still loves us at our most unattractive; our sometimes negative, and selfish behavior doesn't put Him off.  He still draws us, still invites us, “Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Why Me?

This morning I was listening to a Christmas song that pictured Mary, the mother of Jesus, as gentle and humble. I'm sure this was true, as it was of many other young Jewish girls of that time. I wondered, then what was special about Mary that God chose her to bear the Savior of the world?

Perhaps that is the point. As far as we know, Mary was an ordinary young woman, very much like many other girls; she was not chosen on the basis of being special. The shepherds too, were ordinary, or perhaps even a bit below ordinary. What a wonderful thing it is that God chose to clothe His Son in ordinary human flesh, born into an ordinary family—although under quite unusual circumstances. Then His gift to humanity was announced to less-than-ordinary people—although in a remarkable way. Any of these people who were just ordinary might have wondered, “Why me? I'm not special.” This part of Christmas is a mystery, but it is a wonder and a delight

Sometimes I wonder myself. “Why me? Why did I hear the Gospel as a child and receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior? Why have I been privileged to understand the beauty and holiness of the Christmas message? Why do I have shelter and food and clothing? Why me, when so much of the world is without?” This part of my life is a mystery, but I am filled with wonder and gratitude.

MaryMartha