Advent Three :: {JOY}

joy (/joi/) : a feeling of great happiness and pleasure; rejoice

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again, Rejoice!"

~Philippians 4:4~

{eucharisteo}

The root word of eucharisteo is {charis}, meaning "grace." But there is more...Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis.  But it also holds it's derivative, the Greek word {chara}, meaning "joy." 

We sit down as a family last night to read the Advent Scriptures on Joy.

After the scripture reading and after a sermon on Joy...it still rings in my heart..."where is our joy as Christians?".  I look at the majority of those who claim to know and love Jesus Christ and all I can see is depression, sadness, ungratefulness.... do we think it's unattainable in a broken and impossible world?

As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible.  Joy is always possible. 

Whenever, meaning - now; wherever, meaning - here.  Joy, eucharisteo, charis, chara...it is not in some exotic location or in some emotional mountain peak experience...this wonder of joy can be right here.  Here in the ache of now...in the depression, in the sadness, in the ungrateful.  Eucharisteo...give thanks = joy!

The answer to your depression and anxiety is the adoration of Jesus Christ.  The answer to our anxiety is to exalt Christ. 

Calvin wrote, "We are cold when it comes to rejoicing in God! Hence, we need to exercise ourselves in it and employ all our senses in it - our feet, our hands, our arms and all the rest - that they all might serve in worship of God and so magnify Him"

We were made to worship Him. Every moment you live, you live bowed to something.  And if you don't choose God, you'll bow down before something else - some banal Baal.  The Baal of success, the Baal of Pinterest, the Baal of perfection or the Baal of affirmation.  All sucking your joy. These Baals keep us from God, the Baals of work, agenda and accomplishments.  These Baals keep us from prayer.  

"You know you have a Baal that needs to be cut down whenever you cut yourself down.  Whenever you slash yourself, you have an idol that needs to be slashed down.  

and here....is my favorite part....

"but if you slow and still and wait, Advent whispers to you: there is one God who was cut open for you.  He let His blood run so you can stop running".  

Tim Keller writes, "The only way to overcome idols in your life is to see that Jesus gives you freely what every other god says that you can only get through your performance.  Jesus gives you through His blood what every other god demands through yours". 

"Jesus, the Gift, comes to give you freely through His passion what every other god forces you to get through your performance".  

Stop! Be still and listen.  Open your heart to the things Christ has given you and be joyful...be thankful.  Because the opposite of joy is fear and the ache of fear is the result of unbelief.  

Let Christ come this Christmas into your home, into your daily life.  Cut down those idols that are standing in your way and give to God what he wants for Christmas...your bended knee.

Kneel here...and behold Him only.  The only place where you can receive the gift of acceptance, so the gods of acceptance have no hold on you. 

O come, let us adore Him....O come, let us adore Him....O come, let us adore Him..Christ the Lord!