Joy to the World

Those words resonated with me yesterday, especially when I was standing in an extremely long check-out line. A voice came over the loud speakers "We assure you all our available cashiers are working very hard to get you served as quickly as possible." When I arrived at the front of the line, I noticed there were only three cashiers checking out all those folks and there were five vacant cash registers. When I saw the manager making her announcement again, I said, "It looks like you don't have enough cashiers!" She replied, "We don't. We're hiring. If you know someone that needs a job, please send them our way!" With only three cashiers, however, the line went quickly and in spite of the wait, there were no Scrooges or Grinches because we were all echoing Christmas joy. We were laughing and making conversation and everyone was tolerant of the manager's dilemma. No one was complaining. We all agreed -- "It's the time of the year for Christmas cheer!"

Joy to the world! Could it be that the angel's message to the shepherds holds true today? "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of GREAT JOY!" Christ is that good news no matter how dismal or hectic everything might be. There is good news of great joy that can change everything for us -- especially as the rest of the words in that song sink in "Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart PREPARE HIM ROOM." Aw! That's the answer -- making room for JOY -- making room for Jesus..

I know it was that JOY that I sensed yesterday. I drove past a Luby's Cafeteria. I hadn't seen one in a very long time and It brought back sweet memories of my husband and I eating at Luby's. He loved cafeteria-style restaurants. I thought...."I'll visit a couple of stores in this area and time it so I can have lunch there", and I did. I chose food items we both enjoyed together . I texted my two children and told them I just had to stop and celebrate remembering how much daddy loved this place. I was embracing the memories. When I returned to my car, I remembered the little bottle of his favorite cologne that I keep in the car and gave it a spray. I teared up for a minute at the thought AND smell of him.. Just a minute because, though those were some of our best of times, I don't live there anymore. It's sweet to remember, but there's too much living for TODAY with gratitude and purpose and I began to sing "Joy to the World".

It was pre-electricity era 2,000 years ago when the dark night skies became brilliant and the angel appeared to those terrified shepherds and said , "Do not be afraid. I bring you GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY that will be for all the people."(Luke 2:10). Those terrifying moments were replaced with good news and great joy.

Psalm 16:11 says "In His presence is fullness of joy." To have that joy, we need to make room for the JOY GIVER. Though He came as a sweet little baby boy, He is ALIVE today and is our King of Kings. We can experience His presence and know that GREAT JOY! We can experience it in the crowds at the store or at a crowded restaurant. We can experience it when facing a crisis or a disappointment or any other time of weakness.

Joy isn't the same as happiness. Happiness is based on those ooey, gooey feelings when everything is going right. But JOY is based on the CONSTANT of He Who lives big within us. He is that GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY and when we sing those words "Joy to the world, the Lord is come", we know we have found the key to joy is welcoming the JOY-GIVER inside our hearts. Let me start your day with GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY today. Go ahead. Receive this most precious Christmas gift EVER. Welcome Him -- the JOY GIVER into your heart -- into your day -- into your Christmas. I just gave you JESUS!Welcome, JOY!