How We Can Live with Joy
By Eric Olson
There are those who think that I’m a bit crazy because … sometime in late September each year, I begin playing Christmas music! Yes, I know, that’s well before Thanksgiving and even Halloween. What can I say? I love Christmas music, and just can’t wait any longer to once again revel in my favorite Christmas songs and hymns. One of those classic Christmas hymns is especially relevant to this week’s Advent theme – joy.
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.
Have you ever taken some time to just think about the idea of joy? What is it? Most people, and most dictionaries, will say something like, “Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” On the surface, that seems fine, but after a moment’s consideration, you realize that this definition of joy is entirely a subjective response to your situation. Situations change, so this common idea of “joy” is actually just a fleeting, momentary feeling – here one moment and gone the next. That kind of “joy” is insubstantial, like smoke or mist, easily blown away by the wind. In fact, it sounds a lot like hevel (remember the Ecclesiastes sermon series).
When we sing “Joy to the World” we are not rejoicing over a momentary feeling of happiness. We’re exulting over the arrival and reign of Christ Jesus. His reign is “an everlasting reign, which shall not pass away” (Daniel 7:14). Clearly, we need a better definition of joy. Let’s look to the Scriptures.
Psalm 16:11
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Joy is most certainly not a fleeting emotional experience. True joy – the “fullness of joy” – has always been found, and always will be found in the presence of God. True joy is permanent because the eternal Triune God is its foundation.
But, you might respond, I live here in the real world. Life is hard. There’s sin and illness and suffering and evil. Fullness of joy may be found in the presence of God, but not so much here in 21st century America.
Fortunately, Scripture directly addresses that objection in the book of Habakkuk. Consider Habakkuk’s situation. About 50 years earlier, the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered by Assyria and its people taken into captivity as slaves. Habakkuk lives in the southern kingdom of Judah, which is also a hotbed of idolatry and sinfulness. The LORD God has instructed Habakkuk to prophesy against his own nation for their sins. In that situation, Habakkuk wrote:
Habakkuk 3:17-18
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
From Habakkuk, we learn that Biblical joy is not just an emotional experience. In verse 17, Habakkuk describes the terrible hunger and suffering that will come to Judah. That is hardly the context in which joy would be expected … at least if joy is only an emotional experience. In verse 18, Habakkuk shows us that joy is also a chosen state of the heart. Despite the circumstances, Habakkuk knows that the LORD is in control and that the LORD is good; therefore, Habakkuk trusts absolutely in the LORD, who he calls, “the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk understands that earthly circumstances last only for a while, but that God’s people will dwell in His presence forever. That truth makes it possible for Habakkuk to choose to rejoice in the LORD, despite the circumstances.
Habakkuk’s joy was objectively rooted in the unchanging person and purpose of God. The same can be said of Christians today, but we have an additional advantage. Habakkuk knew the promises of God. We know that the promises of God are all fulfilled in Christ Jesus.
The pivotal events began roughly 2000 years ago. One night, some shepherds were tending their flocks in fields near the village of Bethlehem, as they’d done countless times before. Suddenly, the evening quiet vanishes in a blaze of glory as an angel of the LORD suddenly appears before them.
Luke 2:10-11
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
When I hear the angel’s words in the context of Old Testament passages like Psalm 16 and Habakkuk 3, the great joy becomes all the more real. Remember that the fullness of joy is found in the presence of the LORD God. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. And through faith in Christ Jesus, it is no longer we who live, but Christ lives in us. The fullness of joy is available to every believer – because its source has taken up residence in our hearts.
And that’s why I can hardly wait for each September, when I can once again begin to sing…
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.
There are those who think that I’m a bit crazy because … sometime in late September each year, I begin playing Christmas music! Yes, I know, that’s well before Thanksgiving and even Halloween. What can I say? I love Christmas music, and just can’t wait any longer to once again revel in my favorite Christmas songs and hymns. One of those classic Christmas hymns is especially relevant to this week’s Advent theme – joy.
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.
Have you ever taken some time to just think about the idea of joy? What is it? Most people, and most dictionaries, will say something like, “Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” On the surface, that seems fine, but after a moment’s consideration, you realize that this definition of joy is entirely a subjective response to your situation. Situations change, so this common idea of “joy” is actually just a fleeting, momentary feeling – here one moment and gone the next. That kind of “joy” is insubstantial, like smoke or mist, easily blown away by the wind. In fact, it sounds a lot like hevel (remember the Ecclesiastes sermon series).
When we sing “Joy to the World” we are not rejoicing over a momentary feeling of happiness. We’re exulting over the arrival and reign of Christ Jesus. His reign is “an everlasting reign, which shall not pass away” (Daniel 7:14). Clearly, we need a better definition of joy. Let’s look to the Scriptures.
Psalm 16:11
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Joy is most certainly not a fleeting emotional experience. True joy – the “fullness of joy” – has always been found, and always will be found in the presence of God. True joy is permanent because the eternal Triune God is its foundation.
But, you might respond, I live here in the real world. Life is hard. There’s sin and illness and suffering and evil. Fullness of joy may be found in the presence of God, but not so much here in 21st century America.
Fortunately, Scripture directly addresses that objection in the book of Habakkuk. Consider Habakkuk’s situation. About 50 years earlier, the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered by Assyria and its people taken into captivity as slaves. Habakkuk lives in the southern kingdom of Judah, which is also a hotbed of idolatry and sinfulness. The LORD God has instructed Habakkuk to prophesy against his own nation for their sins. In that situation, Habakkuk wrote:
Habakkuk 3:17-18
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
From Habakkuk, we learn that Biblical joy is not just an emotional experience. In verse 17, Habakkuk describes the terrible hunger and suffering that will come to Judah. That is hardly the context in which joy would be expected … at least if joy is only an emotional experience. In verse 18, Habakkuk shows us that joy is also a chosen state of the heart. Despite the circumstances, Habakkuk knows that the LORD is in control and that the LORD is good; therefore, Habakkuk trusts absolutely in the LORD, who he calls, “the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk understands that earthly circumstances last only for a while, but that God’s people will dwell in His presence forever. That truth makes it possible for Habakkuk to choose to rejoice in the LORD, despite the circumstances.
Habakkuk’s joy was objectively rooted in the unchanging person and purpose of God. The same can be said of Christians today, but we have an additional advantage. Habakkuk knew the promises of God. We know that the promises of God are all fulfilled in Christ Jesus.
The pivotal events began roughly 2000 years ago. One night, some shepherds were tending their flocks in fields near the village of Bethlehem, as they’d done countless times before. Suddenly, the evening quiet vanishes in a blaze of glory as an angel of the LORD suddenly appears before them.
Luke 2:10-11
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
When I hear the angel’s words in the context of Old Testament passages like Psalm 16 and Habakkuk 3, the great joy becomes all the more real. Remember that the fullness of joy is found in the presence of the LORD God. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. And through faith in Christ Jesus, it is no longer we who live, but Christ lives in us. The fullness of joy is available to every believer – because its source has taken up residence in our hearts.
And that’s why I can hardly wait for each September, when I can once again begin to sing…
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.