Joy

The next lesson of Advent is Joy. Joy is a precious commodity that everyone seeks but not everyone finds. Most of what we do in our lives is to make ourselves happy and bring joy into our lives. But seeking joy through earthly things will not actually do the job. Things of earth are temporary. Everything on earth dies, fades, breaks. Nothing lasts forever nor the happiness or joy it may temporarily give.

To find true and lasting joy, we can have it, but it is found in Jesus. In the first chapter of the gospel of Luke, starting in verse 5, Zechariah and Elisabeth experience this through the miracle working of God. God was giving them a son. This son would be John the Baptist (Baptizer), who was given a Christ-centered purpose from the announcement of his birth. He would “prepare the way” for Jesus. He would teach and preach of Jesus and help his listeners to be ready to believe and follow Jesus as Messiah when He would arrive. This gave Zechariah and Elisabeth such joy, that the purpose and mission of their son was one eternal, it was to point people to Jesus and to eternal life.

When our lives are grounded in and centered on Jesus, we too find that we have a Christ-centered purpose and mission that goes beyond just the 9-5, but that our 9-5 can be a part of our mission. And every aspect of our lives is a part of that mission - a greater mission and purpose. And living in that greater purpose that truly is encompassed by a relationship with Jesus and pointing and leading others to Jesus, we find true joy. In Jesus you can have a joy-filled life.