Love God Greatly - the Greatest Gift Givenნიმუში

Week 5: The Gift of Joy

Joy in His Presence

Read: Psalm 16

SOAP: Psalm 16:11

“You lead me in the path of life. I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight.”

The dictionary defines joy as “a source or cause of delight.” I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a pretty great definition of Jesus! This week for our Advent study, we will spend some time focusing on another great gift that God has given us—the gift of joy! Joy is the theme of the third week of Advent, and it’s a time to celebrate the good news of the birth of Jesus—news that brings us joy!

There are so many parts of the Christmas season that can be a temporary source of delight. Twinkling lights, a fresh coat of snow, presents for friends and family, even the simple smile of a stranger on a busy evening. But this week, we celebrate a source of joy that is eternal! When God sent Jesus to earth to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins, it was a permanent, unchanging covenant that would bring us back into a relationship with Him.

Because God’s character is unchanging, we can celebrate this Christmas knowing that our joy is found in the presence of God, which we can experience personally through our relationship with Jesus, the greatest present we have ever been given. The psalmist writes that he experiences absolute joy in the presence of God—it never fails! 

What do you need to do this week to make sure that spending time with God is at the very top of your list? Where have all of the obligations of the Christmas season taken your attention away from the promised joy you can experience when you rest in God’s presence? 

Prayer

God, thank You for giving me the gift of joy. As I count down the days to celebrate Your Son’s birth, help me share the reason for my joy with the people I meet each day because Your Good News is for all people! Amen.