“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people!” Luke 2:10
Lord Jesus, “in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Ps.16:11
“Joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” Eccles. 8:15
Abba, “may they have the full measure of my joy within them.” John 17:13
Lord Jesus, I’m sitting here in Franklin, Tennessee, early Christmas morning 2024 with music of your birth blasting, Scriptures about your joy dancing, and gratitude in my heart swelling. Thank you for coming to us, and for us, Jesus. Thank you for continuing to pursue us. Thank you for working for our joy more than we do. Thank you for giving us a joy, like your peace, that passes all understanding and transcends all circumstances.
You could have just come to us and overwhelmed us with your glory. But 10,000 times better, you came for us—to live for us, die for us, and make us your own. Hallelujah, and thank you! You came to seek, find, and save us—and you continue to do so—even after we come to know you.
We’re still capable of living like sheep without a Shepherd, wanderers without wonder, those on sabbatical from gospel-sanity. Many of us have been like Jonah—angry runners discovering we can’t outrun you. Or like Martha lamenting in sadness, “Lord, if you had only been here” (Jn.11:21)—when you never leave and have better stories waiting in the wings. Or like Peter, shamed and declaring, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man” (Lk.5:8)—but we will never out-sin your grace, Jesus. Hallelujah, on steroids!
Jesus, for a love that will not let us go, we adore you. For a joy one Day we will know in fullness, we praise you. For grace to love whoever we are with today, we trust you. Hallelujah, and So Very