Advent Devotional - Day 21: by Mary Knurek

December 19, 2009

READING: Psalm 98:4-9

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
The world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
Let the hills sing together for joy
At the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
To judge the earth.
Psalm 98: 7-9

The Bible says, “that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, and peace.” So why do we sometimes have a hard time being joyful? Does your joy depend on the circumstances your in, does your happiness and peace depend on you getting your way? If some one is moving your cheese, changing things you don’t agree with, how do you handle it?

As Christians, our joy should never be dictated by the circumstance that we are going through, because joy comes from the Lord. He is our constant. He has the answers before we know the questions.

We have many opportunities during Advent to reach out to others and share the joy of the season with people we encounter. How we treat others speaks volumes. So, when that clerk isn’t helpful, when the holiday traffic is horrific, and when things aren’t going your way, pause… and remember to “shout joyfully to the Lord”.

Take the time to be a blessing to someone this Advent season. Be joyful in your thoughts, words and deeds. Show them you are a Christian by your love, have a servants heart, take the time to say thank you. It might be exactly what the person you are encountering needs.

Blessed Savior, as the sea roars and the hills sing, let us also sing joyfully about the miracle of your birth. Amen.