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Read: Psalm 30
You, O God, have turned my mourning into JOYFUL dancing! You, O Lord, have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with JOY that I may sing praises to You and not be silent!
Psalm 30:11-12
The Sunday before Thanksgiving, our Bible study class focused on being Thankful for the greatest gift each of us has received and accepted; the gift of God’s salvation through the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we closed the class time there was a spontaneous joyful chorus of amens!
Now it’s Advent season; the time when we joyfully celebrate the actual incarnation birth of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. For me, at Christmas time the joy of the season is in the air! Joy permeates around us. We sense that the Advent and Christmas season is uniquely special! We enjoy the decorations, the Christmas music, and the reminders that God came to each of us in the humble form of a little baby.
Psalm 30 was written to honor and joyfully celebrate the long awaited temple. Sadness and mourning are tossed aside with joyful dancing and singing! The Psalm was to be recited and sung joyfully as the Hebrew people would enter the sacred place to honor and worship God.
Two thousand years later we also gather in our church sanctuary to joyfully sing Christmas hymns, decorate the church, refocus on the birth of Jesus, and bring food gifts for others. It’s a joyful time to remember God’s grace.
I remember a recent quote that went something like this: “Those who have joyfully and humbly accepted the birth of Jesus Christ as God’s gift to us are obligated to serve others and seek justice.”
So, “Joy the the World, The Lord Has Come!” Have a very blessed Christmas!
~Ed Graham
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