♪ ‘STUCK’ in The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! ♫

Have you ever got “STUCK” on something before?  Something like a particular song you heard in the car, an old TV series, a favorite book or maybe even a silly come-back when someone talks to you?  (I would drive Piper nuts at times, by repeatedly answering her with some silly saying we had heard in a children’s song or video… I guess that’s what happens when you lead the Children’s Ministry for many years!)

Lately I have found myself “STUCK” on scriptures that talk about the season of “good tidings of great JOY which shall be to all the people.”*  But it is not just the specific verses that talk about the birth of the Christ child, it also includes many of the others found throughout both the Old and New Testaments, that speak of the JOY that comes with and through our Christian experience!

And through all of these cheer-bringing statements that originated in the throne room of God before the very creation of the world, I am re-discovering the overwhelming importance of the lifestyle of the “Joy of the Lord”** in my life.  The Apostle Paul makes it very clear that JOY is to be the style of life that everyone of God’s children should seek and endeavor to live on a daily basis.  In Philippians 4:4-5 he wrote,

“Always BE joyful in the Lord! I'll say it again: BE joyful!  Let everyone know how considerate you are.  (for) The Lord is near.” (God’s Word ©) 

Three particular words in this modern translation catch my attention as they seem to perfectly describe the emphasis of the point that Paul is desiring to make.  It’s obvious to the reader that JOY is the subject of Paul’s command and that the word “ALWAYS” immediately sets the time standard to the action of our JOYFULNESS.  And then, as to the duration of the action, he tells us to simply “BE” JOYFUL… ALL THE TIME!  According to the Oxford Online Dictionaries, to “BE” means “to have the state, quality, identity, or nature of the role specified.”  Dictionary.com goes a step further and says that the term to “BE” is “used to describe, identify, or amplify the subject.”

When I look for an example to explain the action of or the BEing of JOY… I simply talk about my wife Piper!  Her life was the perfect example to identify, describe or amplify the subject or idea of JOY or JOYFULNESS!  When I look back at our 48 years together… I would have to say that “JOY” was the key to the oneness we enjoyed, to the peacefulness, love and happiness that our children and we experienced in our home, and it’s that JOY that acted as a magnet to the hurting folks in the churches in which we served as well as in the neighborhoods we lived in!

I believe that I’ve mentioned this before, that when Piper quit working outside our home in order to raise and homeschool our children, her biggest concern was that she would no longer be able to minister to the troubled people in the world.  But then she prayed about it and the Lord spoke to her heart and told her that He would bring them to our front door… and you know what?  He did!  Her JOYFUL encouragement was a staple to almost every neighbor in every neighborhood we lived in over the years.  Her BEing full of JOY drew people (even the one’s that other’s didn’t care for) to her!

The other word that caught my eye was the idea that to BE or NOT to BE is totally up to each of us individually!  Paul instructs us to “‘LET’ everyone know how considerate (appropriate, patient, fair, moderate, reasonable, kind, fitting and with the sweetness of temper – as different versions translate this word) you are.”  In other words, it is something that is left up to us to do… or not!  It is a decision that we have to make, an attitude that we have to develop and practice and a way or style of life that we make the choice to live… 24/7 – 365 days of the year!

So in this holiday season, we have the choice to BE JOYFUL and live our daily lives with a heart of thanksgiving and actions filled with JOYFULNESS… or BE like the Grinch who enjoys stealing the Holiday spirit of “good tidings of great JOY which shall be to all the people.”* 

What lifestyle are you ‘STUCK’ in?  Is it going to BE “Bah Humbug!” or “Praise the Lord!... how can I help to make this season of giving more JOYFUL and blessed for you?”

Have a great rest of your week!

 

*Luke 2:8-20

**Nehemiah 8:10