One of the most beloved Christmas Carols is "Joy to the World". Joy is an important part of Christmas celebration and it is an important part of our worship according to scripture. The word "joy" appears some 200 times in scripture and the verb "rejoice" another 200 times. As early as Numbers 11, we see that joy is a result of redemption or salvation. Joy is not something we create on our own. It is the fruit of a right relationship with God.
Happiness versus joy is an interesting study. Happiness usually comes according to what is "happening" in our lives. If our happenings are what we want, then we experience some form of happiness. Happiness is self-indulgent pleasure, which doesn't lead to a true happiness or joy and fulfillment because it is always dependent on what is happening at any given moment in our lives.
Joy, however emanates from our right relationship to God through the incarnate Word, Jesus. Jesus spoke of His own joy as well as the full joy He came to bring to us in John 15 & 17. Joy runs much deeper than happiness. Joy depends not on our happenings or circumstances. Our joy is not self created in our own attempt at controlling our circumstances. Our joy is complete in the fullness of Christ and is not dependent on our surroundings or circumstances.
The focus in our worship should always be on Jesus Christ. Therefore, our worship should always be full of joy, because He is joy. The joy of God came to focus in human history in the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore, a note of joy runs through the entire accounts of the coming of Christ into the world. Many of those references to joy in scripture have to do with shouting for joy, and singing for joy in our worship.
Chuck Swindoll said, "When His joy invades our lives, it spills over into everything we do and onto everything we touch." May we be reminded at this Christmas time that this should be so in our joy and worship. When we spend time with Him in our private worship, then the natural result of His joy invasion is for it to spill out into everything we do and onto everything and every person we touch. Then we can really say and sing - Joy to the World! mjm
