Joy to the World (12/19/2023)

Yesterday, friends gathered together with family to honor one of our own, acknowledging that we will miss him terribly, but also acknowledging our belief that He is rejoicing with our LORD. His favorite word for the past few years was “joy.” In searching for answers in his journey marked by grief at the loss of his wife, he had discovered that “joy” is the resiliency of faith that allows us to weep without losing hope. And at the conclusion of our beloved friend’s funeral, we sang the hymn, “Joy to the World.”[1] 

And yesterday, my heart was so tenderized that the words of that hymn finally sunk in. I believe I have found my new anthem. I am sure you know the words, as have I since first grade. But have you ever meditated on the words and allowed them to wholly sink in, inform your mind, conform your heart, and transform your soul?

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

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat the sounding joy

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found

Far as the curse is found

Far as, far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love

And wonders of His love

And wonders, wonders, of His love

I learned yesterday as the lyrics would not leave me alone that it was not originally a Christmas carol; originally it was written to be sung all year long as acknowledging the difference Christ’s sacrifice, death, and resurrection has made in our lives and world. It is as much about the second coming of Christ to which we all look for in hope as it is about His birth in Bethlehem. It reminds us that we are to be people of joy for we know Christ.

Paul told us this more than once. “Rejoice. Let me say it again, rejoice… The LORD is near” (Phil 4:4-5). “Rejoice always” (1 Thes. 5:16). Let us think about that. Let us take these last few days of Advent, and in our preparations, let us spend time thinking of the joy within the hymn “Joy to the World” that draws upon the truth that our world is forever transformed by the gift of the Son of God. Let us live this joy in faith, full of hope because we know our LORD to be trustworthy, and fueled by love because love itself is the reason for everything. Let us give ourselves to the LORD and take on the task of bringing it to the world as His servants.

I thank my friend who taught me this and whose farewell etched it in my heart.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.

[1] “Joy to the World” is a hymn written by Isaac Watts in 1719.