Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
“Joy to the World” is one of the most popular Christmas carols of all time, Authored in 1719 by the famous English hymn writer Isaac Watts. He found his inspiration for “Joy to the World” in the message of Psalm 98, which encourages the whole earth to “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”
JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME
On the night Jesus was born, an angel announced the joyful news: “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day … a Savior which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). We can rejoice that Jesus left His glorious throne in heaven and came to earth to become our Savior.
Why do we need a savior? The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin means “a failure to do what is right with God and man” We have all missed the mark of perfect obedience to God. Whether we have missed the mark by a little or by a lot, our sin separates us from God. Unless the record of our sin is wiped clean, we will remain separated from Him for eternity.
LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING
What keeps us from experiencing deep, meaningful joy? The short answer is that we have removed God from His rightful place, and we sit on the throne of our own lives. We occupy ourselves with pleasure and possessions—things which soon will pass away. But God designed us for much more; He created us to live in relationship with Him for eternity. When we live in harmony with God, joy is the natural result.
How can we be restored to a relationship with God? The answer is Jesus. Even before He was born in Bethlehem, Christ Jesus was destined to die on the cross as our substitute. There, He took the punishment for our sins. He then rose from the grave, proving that He is truly the Son of God—and that the way to everlasting life has been opened. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). Now that’s a wonderful reason for joy!
LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM
It’s time to make room in your heart for the King. Recognize that your way falls short of God’s way. Turn to Him and put your trust in the Savior, Jesus. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).
When your heart is made new through God’s saving grace, you not only receive forgiveness of sins: you also enter into a new life characterized by the peace and joy that come from walking with God. Even during life’s troubles, you will understand that “in God’s presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). There is no joy without Jesus. We hope and pray that you will receive Christ in your heart TODAY!