Luke 1:14 (ESV) says “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth” so all I can say is let us rejoice ZION!
Jesus is the source of our joy. It’s a simple thing to say. Something we all have likely heard many times. What we may not have heard is that joy and happiness are not the same thing.
While happiness is considered an outward expression, something that can and is pursued, and something that can be affected by what is happening in the world around you, joy is an internal way of being.
Much like Jesus himself, joy is unchanging. Joy cannot be affected by what is happening around you.
One of the amazing benefits of accepting Jesus is that we also get joy, and Christmas is the simplest reminder that we have this joy.
Joy doesn’t mean that we will be happy all the time, but the joy we have in Jesus does mean that even when we aren’t happy we can still rejoice because, as it says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This Christmas the beautiful lights and decorations, spending time with my family and getting gifts will bring me happiness, but the knowledge that Jesus came to earth, allowed Himself to be vulnerable enough that He subjected himself not only to life on earth, but to death. The love that He showed in giving of Himself so fully, that brings me joy year-round.