The Candle of Love

 

And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:22–24 ESV).

 

Coincidentally, today is Mary and my 56^th wedding anniversary, and it is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. The focus today and for the next few days leading to Christmas Day will be on love. I cannot imagine a better way to be reminded of the love of Jesus than to think of this day over five decades ago.

 

We were still students at Texas A&M University in 1969. We both wonder at the wisdom of being married at such a young age, though we are certain this was God’s plan for us. That day at the First Baptist Church of Bryan, Texas, was a whirlwind of activity. Family and friends came to help us celebrate. All the traditions were observed. It was indeed an incredible day! There are so many memories from that day. One stands out to me today as I write this devotional. The pastor and officiant, Baily Stone, leaned into me just before the wedding march began and Mary entered the church on her dad’s arm and said, “Get where you can see Mary Anne clearly. This will be a sight you will never forget.” I moved a bit to the side where I had a clearer view of the aisle and as the doors opened, she stepped into view. Bailey was right! I have never forgotten that moment!

 

Through the years I’ve read the Scripture I’ve included with today’s devotional and thought of that very moment. Surely this is the love Adam was expressing for this great treasure God had created to be with him in his journey. I knew when I saw her that nothing could be better than this. The birth of my children and grandchildren do rival that moment, but do not equal it. I understood in the moment of clarity what love was meant to be.

 

It is no wonder that when the Scripture speaks of the Second Coming of Christ the imagery of a wedding is used. Jesus is the groom and we, the Church, are the bride. That is the ultimate definition of love. This is Jesus’ love for us and our love for Him being finally completed for eternity! Soon the trumpets will sound the wedding march and we shall be with Jesus forever! Light the candle of Love with that thought today!

Grow Your Joy

 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9 ESV).

 

Growing in joy means intentionally nurturing a deep, inner happiness through gratitude, mindfulness, positive connections, and focusing on simple pleasures, even amidst challenges, transforming your perspective from lack to abundance and letting joy become your strength and motivation, not just a fleeting feeling. It's an active process of cultivating a positive outlook by appreciating the good, practicing thankfulness, seeking new experiences, helping others, and staying present. Let me share with you some practical ways to grow in joy.

 

§  Practice Gratitude: Keep a joy or gratitude journal, noting blessings to shift focus from problems to solve to goodness to experience. Everything that comes into our lives along our journey has been sifted through the hands of our Heavenly Father and will produce good in our lives (cf. Romans 8:28).

 

§  Be Present & Mindful: Appreciate simple things, be curious, explore new places, and engage in activities like laughter, play, and creativity. Sometimes we are too serious for our own good. You do know that none of us will get out of this alive! Seriously, learn how to laugh again. Go ahead, dance as if no one is watching!

 

§  Connect Positively: Surround yourself with joyful people, invest in others, and serve those in need. Find those people in your community of faith that you know will always be honest and positive. These are people who will correctly balance truth-telling with grace-giving.

 

§  Manage Your Mindset: Limit negativity, approach challenges redemptively, and consciously choose to not let past hurts define you. Remember that there is no decision a child of God makes that is eternal. God controls and determines that! We are not what we do.

 

§  Nurture Your Spirit: Connect with your spiritual side through prayer, worship, or scripture, finding strength in faith. Be intentional about the health of your spiritual being. Read and ponder the words of Scripture.

 

§  Care for Your Body: Regular physical activity and giving yourself moments of pleasure contribute to overall well-being. Of course, aging brings with it challenges to our physical well-being; however, regardless of age, we can be our best possible for our physical circumstance.

 

This is how we may grow our joy!

 

Jesus Is the Reason for the Season!

 

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:9–11 ESV).

 

As I wrote yesterday, joy comes from being connected to the Holy Spirit through Jesus. In our reading today, Jesus gives us the metaphor of the vine and the branches. When we abide in him, when we make our dwelling with him, when we stay connected to him, and remain in him, we will bear fruit. He explains what abiding in him looks like and how love leads to obedience. Then he tells his disciples why he tells them these things. He tells us why he wants us to abide in him: I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (v. 11).

 

Jesus wants to share his joy with us. This comes from being united to the Father! It comes from the intimacy he experiences with him, from the sense of abiding and permanent love. It comes from the experience of what theologians across the ages have called the beatific vision. Jesus invites us to abide in him—like a branch on a vine—because that is how our joy is made complete. As Christians, we are invited into the relationship of love that the Father has for the Son, that the Son has for the Father, and that the Holy Spirit shares between the Father and Son. For those who are united to Christ, it’s as if they’re caught up into the joyful, loving communion between the Son and Father. This is the key to joy.

 

I often think of how many of us have hobbies we’re passionate about. It may be a sport, music, cooking, or writing. When you’re doing what you’re good at and what you love you might describe it as feeling like you’re doing what you were made to do. You might describe it as “being in the zone.” The “zone” is that sweet spot where everything is just right. But “the zone” is fleeting. It fades when the game ends, when you close your laptop after a day of writing, or when you finish a project. But it does not last.

 

Wellbeing is different. It’s flourishing and thriving in what you were made to be and do. As humans we were made to abide in God, to dwell in a loving, glorifying relationship with him. That’s true wellbeing. That’s what we were made for. True joy, the abiding pervasive sense of wellbeing, comes from being connected to Jesus. That’s what Jesus came to offer. At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation, the fact that the Son became flesh to make possible the union of man with God. We celebrate the fact that Jesus came to make joy a possibility for us. Jesus really is “the reason for the season”!

 

The Abiding Joy of Christmas

 

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:17–24 ESV).

 

The joy of Christmas isn’t the same as happiness. Happiness can be thought of as a fleeting state of wellbeing that depends on circumstances. Christians shouldn’t disregard happiness. I’ve heard way too many Christians dismiss the goodness of being happy. Happiness, while fleeting, is still a gift from God. Joy, however, is different. Mike Schmitz defines joy as “The abiding and pervasive sense of wellbeing.” Ultimately that’s what Jesus came to bring to us, an abiding and pervasive sense of true wellbeing.

 

In our reading today, the Apostle Paul lists “the works of the flesh” followed by “the fruit of the Spirit.” We cannot but notice that joy is one of those “fruits.” However, if we are not careful in our interpretation, we might miss the truth that joy is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the vine that produces that fruit. We must remember that the Holy Spirit was not available to do that work in us until Jesus came and finished the work of atonement. We simply could not have joy without Christmas, the cross, and the resurrection.

 

This Christmas Joy is different. It is abiding; it’s lasting, it endures, it is firmly rooted. This joy is pervasive; it isn’t limited to just one part of your life, it affects all of who you are and what you do. It is rooted in a sense of wellbeing; it’s related to flourishing. When you’re flourishing you’re thriving. When you’re thriving you’re living life as it is meant to be lived. Joy is the abiding and pervasive sense of living life as you were meant to live it. Thank God for Christmas!

 

Joy in Trials and Disappoinments

 

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:1-4 ESV).

 

Our reading today is not a typical Christmas passage. However, this letter from “James, a servant of God, to scattered Jewish Christians” (twelve tribes), urging them to find joy in trials because enduring these tests builds perseverance, leading to spiritual maturity and completeness, lacking nothing. It's a foundational passage about faith, suffering, and character development, emphasizing that God uses difficulties to strengthen believers' endurance and perfection.

 

There are many circumstances that lead to challenges and sometimes disappoint us with an adverse outcome. Disappointment can lead to frustration and anger. Fear may enter the picture as well. It could be the loss of a job, strained relationships at home, and pressures at work that bring stress into our lives. We also struggle when we get sick, or when a family member or friend becomes ill. There is also the heart-wrenching pain of persecution, which remains a reality in our world.

 

James urges us to “consider it pure joy” when we face ­trials and struggles in our lives. That is an amazingly counter-intuitive statement. It is certainly one of the most challenging commands in the Bible. But James explains that trials and sufferings in the lives of believers produce a stronger and more robust faith. And faith, as Peter puts it when he talks about suffering, is more valuable than gold (cf. 1 Peter 1:7).

 

When we see our struggles from this perspective, we can also begin to understand why Paul calls them light and temporary (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:17) and “not worth comparing with the glory” that awaits us (cf. Romans 8:18). All of this is the result of the great work of grace and redemption begun when Jesus was born in Bethlehem! That prompts joy in our hearts!

 

Joy to the World

Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98 ESV).

 

Joy is one of the highest and holiest experiences of human life. Joy has been defined as the response we have to being united with what we love. To journey to a desired destination brings joy. The arrival of a child at the end of a pregnancy brings joy. To experience freedom after a time in confinement brings joy.

 

Our reading today calls God’s people to active expressions of joy. The reason for this is that the Lord “has done marvelous things.” God’s saving love throughout the ages brings his people to new lands, new life, and new freedom. And the right response to all this is joy and rejoicing.

 

Music is especially well-suited to rejoicing. Musical melodies and rhythms get into us. They set our mouths to humming and our toes to tapping. Music involves our bodies, minds, and emotions. So, fittingly, the psalmist says, “Sing to the Lord a new song,” and invites the accompaniment of a range of instruments to celebrate the Lord’s kingship.

 

This season we should lift songs of joy to celebrate that we have been reunited with God through Jesus. In him all our lesser experiences of joy find their eternal source and goal. And beholding him face to face one day will bring joy that resonates and resounds eternally.

  

The Source of Joy

 

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. (Psalm 37:1–11 ESV).

 

The desire to have joy and be happy is universal. It is one of the deepest desires of the human heart. But happiness often seems elusive. Surprisingly our Bible passage today offers the hope of happiness, joy, and peace in all times, places, and situations. The psalmist says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

 

The question, then, is “How do we ‘take delight in the Lord’?” First of all, we need a right relationship with God—and this is offered freely to us through the grace of Jesus. And then we can focus on the full life we are called to in Christ (cf. John 10:10; 15:10-17; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 6:27-36) and how we can begin living that way here and now.

 

Thinking highly of God the Father, who loves us and sent his Son to save us while we were still his enemies is a start (cf. Romans 5:8-11). Focusing on the Savior, who redeemed us and has prepared the way for us to spend eternity with him and each other in perfect joy, is also crucial. And walking with the Spirit, who guides and comforts us each day, will lead to lasting joy, happiness, and contentment.

 

Some things in this world bring fleeting joy. But all those things break down, wear out, get stolen, rust, burn up, or betray us and ultimately let us down. When we “take delight in the Lord,” however, the Spirit produces the lasting fruit of joy in our lives. When our trust is in Jesus, we will find joy!