Week Three - Day Six

Earlier this year my 30-year-old daughter went into a seizure and woke up paralyzed. She is recovering, but her illness has meant months of waiting, praying and hoping. In June my mother fell ill and we waited with her over many weeks until she entered into her eternal joy. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. It’s beautiful, but in December the days are short and the nights are dark. We hang in there, waiting for the festive season to bring some relief. It’s been a long year, a hard year.

Often, we feel like we are waiting for joy. Waiting for happiness and laughter to come and take hold of our lives. But the waiting doesn’t need to drag on. Psalm 30:5 says, "Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning."

Night and morning sit together. The distance between them is fleeting. And so we know that in the Christian life, joy and sorrow can exist in the same person at the same time. Amazingly, sorrow need not cancel our joy because Jesus is our joy and He never leaves us.

Joy entered our world in its greatest and fullest expression when Christ our Saviour was born. We see what is happening here, don’t we? Our joy is found in knowing Jesus.He himself is our joy. Not His gifts, His blessings, or His creation, but He Himself.

He gives you His joy this Christmas.

“Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

LUKE 2:10