joy - 3rd week of Advent
13 - 12/16 /14:46
Weddings are joyful events, everywhere and in every culture. This past weekend we attended a wedding in a foreign country…Texas. It was pure joy!
Joy is the outward expression not of emotion, but of a deep and abiding character quality. Happiness is a valuable emotion, a feeling—and its fun to be happy. But joy is different. Joy is an expression that bubbles up from a deep reservoir of satisfaction, peace, contentment, love, confidence, belonging and optimism. One reason weddings are joyful events is that guests gather in anticipation of witnessing an outward expression of a deep and abiding love between a woman and a man.
Joy is the outward expression not of emotion, but of a deep and abiding character quality. Happiness is a valuable emotion, a feeling—and its fun to be happy. But joy is different. Joy is an expression that bubbles up from a deep reservoir of satisfaction, peace, contentment, love, confidence, belonging and optimism. One reason weddings are joyful events is that guests gather in anticipation of witnessing an outward expression of a deep and abiding love between a woman and a man.
In the Nativity Story the angel announces, “Good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” The good news: God has drawn near, is with us, has become one of us. Not simply to share in or feel our pain, nor to identify with us. God has come among us to break the power of sin that dooms human life to decline into death. Jesus boldly claimed, “I am the resurrection and the live. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live; and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Joy results from believing in this.
Joy flows out of a believers confidence in Jesus’ promise that He is preparing a place for them in the His Father’s house. Joy is the believers knowledge that when this earthly body degenerates and decays, God will provide an out-of-this-world body to go along with everlasting life in the Kingdom of heaven. ~
Merry Christmas,
Dan Nygaard
Joy results from believing in this.
Joy flows out of a believers confidence in Jesus’ promise that He is preparing a place for them in the His Father’s house. Joy is the believers knowledge that when this earthly body degenerates and decays, God will provide an out-of-this-world body to go along with everlasting life in the Kingdom of heaven. ~
Merry Christmas,
Dan Nygaard