December 15, 2025

THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT: JOY

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Nehemiah 8.10)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Just wonder for a moment if the tables were turned. If we could see things at times from a different perspective would we change how we see ourselves? As I reflected yesterday on the benefit we receive from the “joy of the Lord” being our strength, I wonder if it might also work the other way around. Of course, there is great worth and value added to our lives when it includes the joy of the Lord. His joy is perfect and righteous altogether. There is nothing better than experiencing His joy which is poured out upon our lives as an enriching and enlivening ointment. That ointment might be a salve for healing or for a blessing of position of favor and a commissioning for service. Oh what it must feel like to be immersed in “the joy of the Lord.” Realize such a joy is unmerited and unearned. It is a given, just as mercy and grace are givens for our lives. Of course, there is no greater given than that of God’s love. Because of His love poured out on us, we have the forgiveness of our sins, the freedom of our salvation and the welcoming back into the House of the Lord forever. It is, mighty ones of God, what our soul truly desires from the start of our existence in this world to its conclusion. We would do just about anything and everything to gain such favor and blessing. There is only one thing, however, that we can give that will result in that experience. It is the giving of our whole self by believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and accepting Him as the only Lord and Savior who provides such benefit and blessing. It is such a great joy for God to make that happen in our lives. The awareness of that should strengthen our lives and our resolve to give Him all the glory, all the praise and all our life. The awesome reality of that is in our giving those things to Him we do not then go without. It is like an investment we might make financially with our worldly goods. There is a return with wise investment and wisdom if we were not so wise. But the things of this earth only truly have earthly returns. When we invest in the Kingdom of God and in our relationship with God Himself, especially through Jesus Christ as Lord, the investment has eternal returns. This is what Jesus meant when He taught about “laying up treasures for yourselves in Heaven.” When we find our place in that Kingdom, in the House of the Lord forever, those are the treasures we will find waiting for us to claim. It will not be silver or gold, stocks or bonds, securities and hard cash. It will be the lives we celebrated the truth with concerning the love, grace and mercy of God. It will be the lives of those who invested in the formation of our faith, hope and love of God and one another. It will be the lives of those whom we invested in for the same reason. Our spiritual investments will be revealed in the Bank of Worship and Praise. For me, that is the heart and depth of Nehemiah 8.10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.“

What if, however, we could see that verse from a different perspective as I suggested previously. We would hear it this way: “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” God honestly doesn’t need our gifts. God is self-sufficient and self-proficient. He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent. Yet, that does not mean He is without the need to feel and or be moved by feelings and emotions. Those are not weaknesses nor deficits within the being of God. How could they be as God is love. Why if the angels rejoice in heaven when a lost sinner is found, restored and reconciled (Luke 15.10), then wouldn’t it seem reasonable that God would rejoice as well? He created such rejoicing, such emotion, such feeling, such connection as the very outward being of His inner self. All creation is the result of the pouring out of Himself. So, what if that verse was speaking to God’s response to us being strong? Do you hear it now? “God experiences joy as we are strong in our faith, hope and love!” As parents, don’t we express pride and celebration in our children’s successes? We love to see them set goals and accomplish them. We may actually live too vicariously and believe it really has to do more with us than them. For this we ought to repent. We are here for our children and not vice-versa. And while we can applaud all the ribbons, trophies, photographs and accolades and have that sense of joy, there is another that is more pure and real. That joy comes when our children begin to live into who they truly are and what they are truly for. We see those moments when they truly love us and others not with gifts and words but with themselves. When they are strong to stand against attacks of enemies of the heart, mind, body and soul- we rejoice. When they become better followers of truth by being leaders in truth- we rejoice. When they fully express the authentic power of love with the willingness to lay down their own lives- we shudder the loss but rejoice in the truth that is gained and witnessed to before all the world. It is in those moments we truly find “their strength is our joy.” As it is in this world, so it is in the Kingdom of God. Our spiritual strength, our faith and abiding love connecting both God and humanity for not just a moment but for all eternity, brings joy to God our Heavenly Father. That is our life’s truest expression of priority. It isn’t about making God “proud” of us. It is about living in the moment of joy when the good and goodness that speaks of God’s heart, mind and spirit becomes real. It is so real that nothing can or will defeat it, deny it successful or steal it.

Mighty ones of God, it is that investment in us which God made through Mary and Joseph by making them the parents of His only begotten Son, Jesus, Yeshua, Immanuel- God with us. He is our only true security for the gaining of authentic life and living in this world as it shall be lived in Heaven. “Be strong and of good courage.” Those are the words given to Joshua as he took on the leadership of the people of Israel given to him by Moses. (Joshua 1.9) They became the words of God’s anointing and true investment in Joshua not because of anything else but his faithfulness to trust in God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. God did the same for all those who would believe that the babe of Bethlehem was the same blessing and calling over and in their lives. Bring joy to God by being spiritual strong and rich in His mercy and grace.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.