Advent Season Week Three • A Pure Joy

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. — LUKE 2:10-11

We have spent the last two weeks looking at Hope and Peace, but through the lens of lament and confession. When we looked at Hope, we talked about the groans of childbearing, and peace with God through the broken body of Jesus. And today we find ourselves on week 3: Joy. We have lamented, confessed, and now, we can look unhindered and rejoice! We have felt the weight of the broken world, we have observed and confessed the brokenness within, and it is through that lens we usher in pure Joy.

It has been said that it’s always darkest before the morning. While scientifically, that’s not true, our life experiences often seem to declare that. Once we feel the weight of suffering and darkness, the weight of glory and joy feels so much deeper. And this is where we find ourselves looking in history…

For thousands of years the world was covered in what felt like darkness. From hiding in the garden, to the flooding of the world, to a rebellious people in the desert, to a rebellious nation receiving warning after warning to repent. And finally, after things felt like they could get no darker, the Creator of the World fell silent. We could imagine for followers of Christ, this felt like a perpetual darkness. Their God fell silent. No new prophets, no new revelations, no Messiah, no filling of the Holy Spirit.

And then, on a dark night, like any other, the dark sky lights up proclaiming that Joy has come. The darkness, threatening as it may have seemed, is conquered. To the weary ones, to the hopeful ones, joy has come! Though our world feels dark, we know that even the darkness is not dark to him (Psalm 139:12), so we can feel the relief of his Joy, our souls can be at rest knowing that in the darkness, he is there. And as we remember, we look ahead, and know he will come again, and this time, it won’t be angels lighting up the sky, but a Triumphant King gathering his own so we can join with the angels into all eternity realizing with unveiled faces the fullness of Joy!

A PRAYER OF JOY:

Giver of Joy,

We praise you that, though sorrow may last for the night, in You, we have assurance that joy will come in the morning. You who entered the darkness will not leave us in our doom. You entered in and now fullness of joy is ours!

Keep us steadfast as we wait for the full revelation of our joy.

Protect our hearts from growing dim to the light of your promises.

Let your light and joy be the the salve that heals our deepest wounds.

Let us look to this babe in the manger and remember the joy of our salvation!

That you, Oh God have given us life eternal!

—Devotions prepared by Cheyenne Boluyt