What gives you joy? What delights you? The popular Joy of Cooking cookbook tells us that joy is found in cooking. I don’t think it’s the cooking part that brings us joy, but the eating! You might find joy by spending time with your friends or family. Maybe joy for you is sitting down with a steamy cup of coffee and a good book. Joy might also be found by cuddling with your wife or husband, girlfriend or boyfriend, while watching your favorite movie – Elf, The Holiday, Pirates of the Caribbean III. Or, perhaps you are the most delighted when you’re outside riding your bike, taking a walk, or working in the yard.
These things make us happy. We enjoy them. But, honestly, they don’t give us long lasting joy. We get tired of them. We love to be with our families and friends, but eventually, they need to go home. That steamy cup of coffee will eventually turn cold. The good book will end. The credits will roll on our favorite movie and the cuddling will be over. It’s great to be outside, but doesn’t it always rain when we try to get out there? I realize that I’m being pessimistic here, but the point I want to make is that these things that give us joy, make us happy, and delight us, don’t/won’t last. Let’s look at something that can give us unending joy.
Traditionally, twelve days after Christmas (January 6) is the anniversary for when the magi, wise men who practiced astronomy, astrology, and natural science, first saw Jesus. (They probably didn’t see him 12 days after his birth, but more like one to two years - this is just the tradition.) Their story is in the book of Matthew, chapter two, verses one through 12. The story tells us that Jesus was born in a small manger in the town of Bethlehem, one of the towns of Judea, over which Herod ruled. Herod was the acting king of the Jews, but the magi came to him asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” referring to Jesus. This question troubled Herod because he was the king and there could be no other. He sent the magi on to Bethlehem so they could report back to him the exact location of the child. The magi followed a star to the place where the Child rested. When they saw the star, “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Then they saw the baby with his mother Mary; “and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.”
I love the magi’s reaction when they saw the star – “They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” The star brought them joy because they knew that it was a sign that their Savior had come into the world. They had been waiting and watching for so long for a Savior to come and this star brought them to Him. This Savior that entered the world for them also entered the world for us. He is our Savior.
These things make us happy. We enjoy them. But, honestly, they don’t give us long lasting joy. We get tired of them. We love to be with our families and friends, but eventually, they need to go home. That steamy cup of coffee will eventually turn cold. The good book will end. The credits will roll on our favorite movie and the cuddling will be over. It’s great to be outside, but doesn’t it always rain when we try to get out there? I realize that I’m being pessimistic here, but the point I want to make is that these things that give us joy, make us happy, and delight us, don’t/won’t last. Let’s look at something that can give us unending joy.
Traditionally, twelve days after Christmas (January 6) is the anniversary for when the magi, wise men who practiced astronomy, astrology, and natural science, first saw Jesus. (They probably didn’t see him 12 days after his birth, but more like one to two years - this is just the tradition.) Their story is in the book of Matthew, chapter two, verses one through 12. The story tells us that Jesus was born in a small manger in the town of Bethlehem, one of the towns of Judea, over which Herod ruled. Herod was the acting king of the Jews, but the magi came to him asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” referring to Jesus. This question troubled Herod because he was the king and there could be no other. He sent the magi on to Bethlehem so they could report back to him the exact location of the child. The magi followed a star to the place where the Child rested. When they saw the star, “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Then they saw the baby with his mother Mary; “and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.”
I love the magi’s reaction when they saw the star – “They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” The star brought them joy because they knew that it was a sign that their Savior had come into the world. They had been waiting and watching for so long for a Savior to come and this star brought them to Him. This Savior that entered the world for them also entered the world for us. He is our Savior.
The magi show us that joy is not a gift, but a response. It is not given to us and then we take it in. Rather, it is in us and we give it out. The Holy Spirit has placed within every believer the ability to express true joy. It comes easier for some, but more difficult for others. Some people wake up joyful and share it throughout the day. However, for other people that same joy is covered by dust and junk from the past. A lot of digging needs to happen before it’s uncovered. If that is your situation, keep working at it. Keep digging and you will find that joy. Why do we want to find the joy that the Holy Spirit has placed in us? Because we, like the magi, are to respond the birth of Jesus Christ with great joy. He is our king. He is our savior. We should worship Him as such.
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