Where do you find Joy?
Where do you find joy? Each of us, might give a different answer. I find joy in the changing of the seasons, I am particularly fond of Autumn, on a crisp, sunny autumnal morning, walking along a path of crispy leaves, gives me a great, childlike joy. What I really want to do, is run through them, arms outstretched, laughing and smiling, but perhaps age has constrained my childlike enthusiasm.
Joy is found in many other places too, spending time with family and friends, a meal out, the simple pleasures of life.
As Christians one of the fruits of the spirit is joy. Joy is part of who we are, and yet often I have heard it said, that Christians don’t appear to be too joyful, which is a great shame, after all joy is at the heart of Christianity.
We live in times where it might seem hard to find joy, the world seems to be an increasingly worrisome place.
Cast our minds back 2000 years or so ago, and perhaps the world was no less worrisome, particularly to a young girl, not yet married, who encountered an angel.
The Jews lived under Roman occupation, conflict sadly was never that far away. Mary’s world view might have been smaller, satellite communications and social media were a long way off into the future, but there would have been the stresses and strains of daily living that we all experience today to a greater or lesser extent. So when an angel comes to announce her pregnancy, it is hard to imagine Mary hearing good news. An unplanned teenage pregnancy, amongst the small town gossips, and that’s before we even consider how Joseph might feel about all this.
Yet, Good news and Joy are at the heart of the Christmas Message. And indeed as Mary greets her cousin Elizabeth, she sings ‘My soul rejoices in God my saviour’. As the angels greet the shepherds on the hillside that first Christmas night, they say ‘Do not be afraid, for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people.’
The joy of Christmas is that deep-seated joy, a rejoicing in our souls, that nothing can dispel. I hope and pray you know this joy for yourselves this Christmas time. and that you may have many joy-filled moments in the month ahead.
May God Bless you and your families this Christmas time
Heather