Joy to the World

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7 ESV).

 

Isaac Watts is credited with writing over 750 hymns, but this has to be one of his best works. Watts lived in England, but his father did not accept the Anglican church. Still, the family was quite religious. Watts believed that the Psalms were too difficult to sing in their English translation. He adapted the Psalms for use in worship by an English audience. “Joy to the World” is based on scriptures found in Psalm 96 and 98. It’s thought that George Frederick Handel provided the music for this beautiful song, but some hymnals credit the music to another musician, Lowell Mason. Mason composed over 1,600 hymns, many of which are still sung today.

 

Oh, the wonder of it! The Holy Spirit overshadows the virgin Mary so that a holy child is conceived in her womb. For nine months the child develops in watery darkness to the soundtrack of Mary’s heartbeat and muffled voice. At last the time comes. The child emerges, takes urgent breaths, and cries aloud amid faces beaming with hospitality and love. Welcome to the world! Spend a moment and think on this. This newborn baby, bright eyes gazing around, coos erupting after long months of silence. Arms and legs stretching out in new freedom. Think too of the helplessness and vulnerability of the sweet child. Then imagine that this little one is our great God. The Word has no vocabulary, the Almighty has no strength, the Wise One has no knowledge. The Lord of all is completely dependent on the comforting arms and nourishing care of his mother, Mary.

 

It’s a wonder that God would become helpless to help us. But it’s not that merely an infant is helpless while we who are grown up have things in hand. In the big, wide world around us, we are helpless too. And all our hope depends on the help of the helpless baby, whose birth we celebrate today. There is the Joy to the World!