Reason #341

I like to read the news. I probably shouldn’t do this as often as I do considering the fact that a large majority of the news that is reported is downright depressing. Really, try to find 5 good stories on any news website. It’s near impossible. And so it can be discouraging. Right now, our country is dealing with a fiscal cliff and appears that we may very well fall right off of it, last week we saw an unimaginable act of violence acted out on innocent children, the unemployment rate is still high, gas prices, while falling, are still steep, the sanctity of marriage is slowly fading, spilt homes seem to be the new trend, and if you aren’t affect greatly by at least one of those things, well check your pulse. Really, it’s discouraging. I read an article today about tax increases. I’ll be real honest with you and say my stomach slightly dropped as I read over the numbers and did a few calculations in my head. For me, things do not look quite promising right now. And as I was reading through these depressing news stories, the song “Joy to the World” began playing in the background.

 

Joy to the world, the Lord has come…

 

Joy – the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying. But joy doesn’t seem to be very prevalent does it? Joy seems to be hiding its face from us. It’s Christmas time. A time where joy should be abundant yet hearts are breaking and fears are rising. A season of light that can often be the darkest for some. And as I thought about this, the irony of singing a song about joy during a season of difficulty, I thought about why we may have a hard time making sense of it.

 

Let earth receive her King…

 

Receive - to take into one’s possession, to have. And so He gave Himself to us. A gift to be received with no strings attached. That’s all we had to do. Open our hearts and make room for Him. But we haven’t done that. With hardened hearts we’ve filled our lives with things of this world. Possessions, power, pride, greed, self-righteousness, hatred, bitterness. We made no room for Him. Just as the night of His birth, there was no room for Him in the inn and so He went where there was room. In a lowly stable, our humble Savior was born. A place where He was welcomed. And today is no different. He is not going to force Himself into our lives, our economy, our schools or the workplace. He is not going to abide in a place where He has been forced out. But do we realize that? Do we understand we are the ones who are keeping Him away? We are the ones telling Him to go rather than making room for Him and ask Him to stay. We took the precious gift offered to us, and rather than receiving and embracing Him, we nailed Him to a wooden cross so that we could do things the way we wanted to do them.

 

Two thousand years later, and we can see that hasn’t quite worked out too well for us. Two thousand years later, we keep making room in our lives for more things that don’t satisfy rather than making room for the One who will fill any void. And that’s exactly why we can’t find joy. We haven’t made room for it, for Him. We haven’t received Him, we’ve rejected Him. But He came anyway, and He’ll still come. When He’s asked, where He’s welcomed, He will come. And as His child, I find joy in this. Joy in knowing that in the midst of my personal crises, rather it be financial, emotional, physical, personal, whatever it is, He’ll be there. I want Him there. I want to make room for Him. Because things are dismal and I need a Savior. I need One who will rescue me from darkness and bring me into His light. And simply knowing that He will do that brings joy to my heart. Joy knowing that one day, these things will pass away and there will be no more room for grief, sorrow, pain, discomfort, stress, anxiety, rather all things will be made right. And that’s why He came. He came to make things right. Even if we didn’t want it, even though we pushed Him away, He came for us. To bring a joy that only He can give until the day He returns, making our joy complete.

 

#341 – Because He will fill us with joy when we make room for Him.

 

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” – Luke 2:10-11

 

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” – Psalm 5:11