“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”
Written by Isaac Watts in 1719, “Joy to the World” has been a favorite for a little over two hundred years. It has been sung, and sung, and sung again. Countless artists have covered it. Even more people have sung it and have enjoyed belting it out on Christmas Eve. For me, it’s almost impossible for someone to mention “joy” during this season of Advent without that song popping up into my head. Fortunately, I love it! It is an absolutely remarkable hymn! There is just something about hearing that song, singing that song, worshipping with that song that sets my heart on fire, that reminds me of the joy that is found in Jesus. Now, I’m not typically a “let’s leave the Christmas decorations up all year long” type of person (not that there is something wrong with you if you are that type of person). It’s just not me. For me, the tree and the rest of the decorations come down after the Christmas season is over. Stockings get unstocked. Lights get unlit. Everything gets undone, packed into some tubs, and put up into the attic until it’s time to decorate once again. No, I am not a year-long Christmas decorator. Neither am I a year-long Christmas song singer. Still, I know that the birth of our Savior can be a year-long celebration. Plus, I think that perhaps it would do us some good to remove this song from the “Christmas” category and place it in the “all the time” section.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”
Sure, that’s a Christmas message if we think about little baby Jesus being born in a manger, but to me, it’s more than that. It’s a life message. An everyday message. A message that is useful in every season. Advent or otherwise.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”
This message is a reminder of where we are to find joy. It is a reminder that if we find joy in Jesus, joy is not conditional.
It’s not “Joy to the world, the over-commercialized, over-secularized season of Christmas is come.” It’s not “Joy to the world, the snow is come.” It’s not “Joy to the world, the family is come.” It’s not “Joy to the world, the presents have come.” It’s not “Joy to the world, the cookies have come.” It’s not “Joy to the world, good health is come.” It’s not “Joy to the world, the paycheck is come.” It’s not “Joy to the world, the ______ is come.”
I think you get the idea.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”
The Lord is come. That’s why we can have joy.
Circumstances should not be a factor.
Finances should not be a factor.
Health should not be a factor.
Family situations should not be a factor.
Presents, trees, lights, tinsel, reindeer, cookies, Santa, Frosty, Charlie Brown Christmas specials, weather, viruses, masks, COVID, travel restrictions, party cancellations, normality or abnormality, none of these things (or any other) should be a factor when it comes to joy.
Why?
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”
Jesus is come (I’m not used to saying it that way, but I’m sticking to the phrasing of the song.)
One of the most beautiful things about that truth? He has come right into the midst of our mess. Right into the midst of our suffering. Right into the midst of our pain and our heartache and our loneliness and our feeling like nobody understands and our sickness and our hopelessness and our grief and our mourning and our darkness and our hurt and our _______. Jesus has come right into ALL of it.
This is cause for joy!
Jesus is come. Right into the middle of your life. Right into the middle of your mess. Right into whatever circumstance you find yourself in at the moment, and it is cause for joy. Unconditional joy.
But, Jesus is no bully. He’s not going to force himself into somewhere that he has not been invited.
As the song continues, “Let earth receive her king; let every heart prepare him room…”
Or as it says in Scripture:
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
~ Revelation 3:20
Jesus is come. That is fact. It is historically true in the birth of a baby in a manger, born of a virgin. It is presently true in the way that Jesus stands at the door of our hearts, seeking to come into our lives. It is forthcomingly true in the reality that Jesus has promised to return, to establish his kingdom, that there will be an end to evil and fallenness and brokenness.
Jesus is come.
That is not the question. Instead, the question is, have you prepared him room? Have you opened the door? Have you invited Jesus into your life, into your heart, into your current circumstance?
This Christmas will not look exactly like any that we have ever seen before. Many of us are choosing to stay away from friends, from family. Even if we don’t make that decision, there is still a different atmosphere, a different feel for this year. Many are fighting with sickness, with suffering, with pain, with loss. Christmas 2020 will not be the same as years past.
Though that is the case, we cannot allow it to affect our joy.
Joy cannot be based on circumstance, on feelings, on emotions, on what is going on in our life. Joy is based on one thing, one thing alone.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”
Sure, things may not be easy. Sure, things may not be ideal. Sure, things may not be normal or sane or any of the things that we would like for them to be. Regardless, the fact remains, Jesus is come.
Jesus has come to me. Even when I didn’t follow him. Jesus has come to me. Even when I haven’t acknowledged him. Jesus has come to me. Even when I am disappointed in him. Jesus has come to me. At all times. In all places. Regardless of my mistakes, of my faults, of my failures, of my disappointments, of my wickedness, of my sin, of my shame. Jesus comes. The Savior of the world. The One to make things right. The Alpha (the first). The Omega (the last). The Beginning and the End. The Lion of Judah. The Lamb who was slain. The One who is worthy to open the scroll. The King eternal. The One through whom everything was made. The Maker. The Sustainer. The Redeemer. The Way. The Truth. The Life.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” To me!
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” To you as well!
Have you received that joy?
Have you accepted that gift?
Have you opened that door?
Have you heard that voice?
The Lord is come. Now receive your king. Prepare room in your heart for Jesus. Prepare room in your life for Jesus. Prepare room in your circumstances for Jesus, perhaps especially those that are disappointing and undesirable. Receive. Accept. Open. Believe. Have joy.
If you have received this joy, you can’t help but to continue on in the song…by singing, by worshipping, by rejoicing at Jesus’ presence in our lives. “…let heaven and nature sing…”
Yes, I love that song! It points me to Jesus. It reminds me of the gift that I have received and continue to receive in him. To me, it’s not just a Christmas song. It’s not subject to the Christmas season, to the Christmas decorations, to the Christmas traditions (as good as they may be). Instead, it’s a reminder that we can have joy in each and every circumstance of our lives because we know that Jesus has come right into the midst of them.
Friend, I hope you have joy this Christmas. True joy. I hope that your heart has received, that you have believed, and that you can experience the truth as expressed by Isaac Watts a couple hundred years ago.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king; let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.”
~ Pastor Chris
