Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11 KJV)

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

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

Do you have your share of the joy? It’s available, according to many verses in the Bible. Chronologically, joy is mentioned in Job, so that’s very early in the Bible. But joy is mentioned in book order first with David. He puts the word to good use in the Psalms, too, beginning with:

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. (Psalms 5:11 KJV)

My favorite, though, is:

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalms 51:12 KJV)

Without salvation, Christmas can hold no joy. Oh, there could be happiness when presents are opened, there can be pleasure in the company of loved ones – but the joy comes from those good tidings, that good news that angels spread:

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11 KJV)

Yep – savior. The Messiah, mentioned by title only in Daniel in the Old Testament:

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:25-26 KJV)

That doesn’t sound very joyful, does it. Yet, it is for the joy of the Messiah that we write, just as John did:

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. (1 John 1:4 KJV)

Restore the joy of the Lord’s salvation – spend time with Him in His word.