What is Joy? 

Well, everyone got a treat at church this past Sunday in that the “sermon” was  delivered by our group of courageous and talented kids in the form of a Christmas  program, “A Visit From the Animals.” We more “mature” believers might feel that  there wasn’t much to be gleaned from this, but we must remember that Jesus taught  in parables, and this was so only those who were truly seeking truth would find it,  hidden in the stories he told. I hope you’ll take time to ponder the various characters  and plot and ask the Spirit to reveal or remind you of some truth. 

While you got a break from a regular sermon, I’m afraid I’ve been inspired to pass on  yet another Advent reflection, and this on our theme of Joy. I’ve heard joy defined in  many ways, but the two that have stuck with me most are: “joy is a pervasive sense of  well-being,” and “joy is what you experience when someone is happy to be with you.”  (Take a moment to ponder how those two definitions sit with you). I think that these  two definitions are linked, because when we know we are not alone, even in difficult or  painful circumstances, we can feel that all is, or at least will be, well. 

We didn’t cover all the readings from the lectionary this Sunday, but all except the  Gospel reading referenced joy. Zephaniah 3:14-20 calls the people of God to rejoice – that is, express their joy – because “The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you.” It is  God’s presence with Israel that gives them joy because with his presence comes the  removal of mourning, shame, and oppression by their enemies. His presence lifts  them up above their troubles. 

Likewise, in Isaiah 12:2-6, the prophet says that God has become his salvation, and  from this well of salvation (i.e., God) Israel will “draw water” with joy. And Israel’s  response is praise, proclamation, and singing about God’s goodness – singing for joy because “great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” Again, joy is related to God’s  presence among them, because with him comes all that is good and necessary for  human well-being.  

Finally, Philippians 4:4-7 calls us to “rejoice in the Lord always” because “the Lord is  near.” It’s interesting to me that the other two themes make an appearance here as  well. Paul calls the church to “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present our  requests to God.” In our first week of Advent, Pastor Patrick drew the connection  between hope and gratitude. Thankfulness calls to mind the good that we’ve already  received and helps us realize that God’s goodness has no limits, so we have hope  enough to ask for more. Paul goes on to say that if we practice this asking with  gratitude, the peace that transcends understanding, that is, peace completely 

unrelated to our circumstances, will guard our hearts and minds. In this passage, Paul  is intrinsically connecting joy, hope, and peace. I’ll have more to say about this in next  week’s reflection, but for now, it’s enough to consider that joy for Christians is rooted  in the nearness of God. We’re not alone in this world that often feels dark and  

dangerous, and the One who is near to us has not only the power to make all things  work together for our good, but also wills our good. When we grasp this reality, and it  is a reality, we can say with Julian of Norwich, “All will be well, and all will be well, and  all manner of things will be well.” In other words, we can experience a pervasive sense  of wellbeing because of the One who is with us.  

We’ve been offering you a practice with the Advent sermons and I didn’t want you to  miss out this week, so here’s a practice for cultivating joy. Take a moment each day to  think of a time in your life when God felt “near.” Maybe it was watching a sunset or sunrise, or a time with your family, or a lack of fear in a hard situation (joy and fear  are not compatible). If you can’t think of one, maybe sit in silence, stillness, and  solitude and ask God to make his presence real to you. If it doesn’t happen right away,  I assure you it is not because he is not near, but more likely that you’re not “tuned in”  to the right frequency. If we practice this regularly, we can become familiar with the  ways God uniquely feels present to us, and we can become more and more attuned to  that presence in our daily lives. I hope, like our kids were brave, you’ll be brave and try  this out. And may you experience Emmanuel, God with you. Amen. 

– Pastor Susan