Unspeakable Joy

Perhaps you’ve experienced it.

That faint sense of letdown when the last gift is opened, and the Christmas music is no longer playing on the radio. The aisles in the stores are picked over and marked with clearance tags while personnel quickly clear out merchandise to make way for the next holiday. At home, the Christmas candy no longer looks appealing, and the scales indicate that too much of it was digested.

Sigh. What happened to the excitement. And the joy that permeated the air just a few days ago?

What happened to Christmas?

Today, I want to echo the words of the angels to shepherds on the first Christmas night – I bring you good news of great joy! Christmas did not end at midnight on December 25^th!

Christmas lives in the person of Jesus, the Christ, who was born and lived and died for us. The true joy of the season lives on in Him, and we can know that joy every day. Long after the tree is dismantled. Even after the warranties on the gifts have expired, the Christmas lights have gone out, and the wrappings have all been delegated to trash bin.

In John 15:9 – 11, Jesus left us these words:

⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Jesus left His joy for us.

Today, as we are tempted to wallow in the holiday blues, let’s reach down into the well of joy that is ours in Christ Jesus. It is the good news He left for us. It is the promise of His presence in us.

It is our hope and our strength.

It is GOOD NEWS!

Romans 15:13, KJV Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.