Joy - Day 1
Luke 1:46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,"
There are two types of joy-the joy of desires fulfilled and the joy that sustains us until they are fulfilled.
The joy of Advent is the second kind of joy. It is the joy of Mary when she sings the Magnificat. In Luke chapter one, the Angel Gabriel is busy. He announces the coming of John the Baptist to John's father Zechariah, and then, only a few months later, announces the advent of Jesus to Mary, Jesus' mother. He tells Mary to go and visit her cousin Elizabeth (wife of Zechariah and mother of John the Baptist) and see that she who was barren is now in the sixth month of pregnancy. So Mary goes. When she arrives, Elizabeth hears Mary's voice and prophesies about the baby in Mary's womb! The baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps for joy, and Mary herself is filled with joy and begins to sing a prophetic song we call the Magnificat, which means "to magnify" in Latin. Mary's first words in the song are "My soul magnifies the Lord".
Had Jesus arrived? No. Had Jesus done anything at all to show us who he was or all that he would do? No. This was not the joy of arrival or accomplishment. This was the joy of Advent. This joy is the joy of promises believed. Mary and Elizabeth were enabled to think differently about the future than they ever had before, and it filled them with joy.
What does Jesus mean for your future?
Have you gazed into the future with Jesus as your telescope?
Spend at least five minutes today leaning into the joy of Advent. Ask Jesus to help you imagine a future shaped by his presence, his promises, and his power.
Luke 1:46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,"
There are two types of joy-the joy of desires fulfilled and the joy that sustains us until they are fulfilled.
The joy of Advent is the second kind of joy. It is the joy of Mary when she sings the Magnificat. In Luke chapter one, the Angel Gabriel is busy. He announces the coming of John the Baptist to John's father Zechariah, and then, only a few months later, announces the advent of Jesus to Mary, Jesus' mother. He tells Mary to go and visit her cousin Elizabeth (wife of Zechariah and mother of John the Baptist) and see that she who was barren is now in the sixth month of pregnancy. So Mary goes. When she arrives, Elizabeth hears Mary's voice and prophesies about the baby in Mary's womb! The baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps for joy, and Mary herself is filled with joy and begins to sing a prophetic song we call the Magnificat, which means "to magnify" in Latin. Mary's first words in the song are "My soul magnifies the Lord".
Had Jesus arrived? No. Had Jesus done anything at all to show us who he was or all that he would do? No. This was not the joy of arrival or accomplishment. This was the joy of Advent. This joy is the joy of promises believed. Mary and Elizabeth were enabled to think differently about the future than they ever had before, and it filled them with joy.
What does Jesus mean for your future?
Have you gazed into the future with Jesus as your telescope?
Spend at least five minutes today leaning into the joy of Advent. Ask Jesus to help you imagine a future shaped by his presence, his promises, and his power.