24-Dec-14
Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. Psalm 96:1-4Have you ever felt as if you could dance all day? Throw your arms up into the sky and lift your eyes to the sky and just sing? That is called JOY! Jesus JOY! Suddenly life is sweet because you know Jesus, you love Jesus, there is only room for Jesus and that joy captures everyone. That joy is because of love — Love that overflows and forgives others as God’s love forgives us.This is what Christmas is all about – the recognition of that Joy can only be found in Jesus. As I left my husband in the care of our daughter-in-law, I wondered if I had the strength to shop one more time for groceries. Little did I know that in the produce aisle I would receive a Gift of Joy wrapped up in a song that day. Since I know few people in this city we moved to recently, I do not expect to see anyone I know today. As I stopped at the Roma Tomato bin, I was vaguely aware of a man standing near me and he was humming. All I remember are grey whiskers on a black face and the song he was humming.I realized I knew that song. “Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it Jesus is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.” That’s not a Christmas Carol, I thought, and then suddenly I began humming and smiling. Maybe it is a Christmas Carol! The words sang themselves to me, and I felt my spirit come alive. I laughed out loud. Nothing matters except loving Jesus. The fact that my husband is slipping away in a dementia fog, or our oldest son died with brain cancer last February, living in a new place, impending surgeries in the new year. Nothing matters. The words of the song became a feast of joy — a feast of thanksgiving. 85 year old women don’t dance in the middle of the grocery store, but I felt the rhythm all the way through my body as I stood by the display of the bananas.What a Christmas Gift from a stranger…a heart filled with joy. A blessing beyond measure. At this Christmas Time, I send you the Joy of Christmas and be glad! Lift up your praise to our Lord! He is coming!Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth. Psalm 96:11-13