Filled With Joy

Thursday, December 21

Filled With Joy

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

Does this time of year still bring about excitement in you? While children are thrilled, do you share in the joy of the Christmas countdown? Children’s enthusiasm can be infectious, yet the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations often detract from our ability to savor the wonder for ourselves. Putting up decorations, assembling the tree, managing finances, dealing with crowded stores, cranky shoppers, and long lines, followed by the tasks of wrapping and shipping boxes – it’s a lot! Yet during this time I encourage you to hold onto the words written in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with joy…”

Biblical joy is different from what most people think of as joy. It is not just a happy emotion that we either feel or don’t feel, it is a state of being that finds its source in God.

God’s people had joy because they anticipated a time when the promised Messiah would come and “Those who have been ransomed by the Lord…will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness” (Isaiah 35:10).

Today, our joy is anchored in the knowledge that God fulfilled his promise.

Prayer for today: Thank You, Father, for the Hope You deliver to this weary world. Amen.