Advent Week - Joy

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   By now, we're waist-deep into the Christmas season. The radio is playing an endless loop of timeless holiday songs. One of the classics, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," describes the happiness that comes along with the season in different ways: "A pair of Hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots is the wish of Barney and Ben. Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk is the hope for Janice and Jen. And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again!" In contrast, one of the popular Christmas hymns proclaims, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sings."

   What is the difference between "joy" and "happiness?" Have you ever wondered that? In doing a little research, I came across this summary, "Happiness is linguistically associated with how life is going, while joy is associated with how meaning is experienced." The terms as they appear in Scripture can be summarized this way, "Joy is the inner, enduring delight grounded in God. Happiness is a state of well-being or blessedness tied to life conditions. The Bible therefore allows for joy without happiness in the present, while holding out hope that, in God's final redemption, joy and happiness will fully converge."

   In Nehemiah, after Ezra has finished reading from the book of the Law, the people are weeping because of what they had just heard. However, Nehemiah tells the people, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord s your strength (Nehemiah 8:10)." This week of Advent, as we focus particularly on the theme of joy, let us remember where the true source of our joy is to be found. It is not in songs, symbols, or stuff. It is to be found in the Savior we celebrate this season.