Radiating God’s Joy

As we continue with God’s joy this third week of Advent in Notes of Hope, we must realize that God’s joy is not fleeting.  It is not dependent on our mental state, our grief, our employment or where we live or don’t live.  This joy does not rely on our circumstances.  Happiness does, oh yes, but not joy.  Joy is a deep-seated gift God gives us that we get to nurture, grow and share. 

Have you ever known someone who walks into the room and joy walks in with them?  My daughter, Shannon, is one of those people.  She has God’s contagious joy and fills the room with it.  Talk with her.  See her smile. Notice her inner joy radiating outward.   God gives it to all of us. We all have it.  I believe we all need to cultivate it if we want it. 

When I was young, I overheard a couple teachers talking about “Brenda.”   They were commenting on her smile and the peace she radiates.  I was jealous and wanted that to be said about me.  So, I worked hard at it.  I prayed to God that I could smile like that and share God’s peace with my presence.  I still pray for that daily.  I study peace in the Bible.  I read devotions on peace.  I write about it.  I make the places I live have a peaceful feel to them, even my office, so that I, and those who visit, feel God’s peace.  It is possible to do so.  However, this week we are talking about joy.  Peace is last week’s news that never goes out of style.

Now talking about joy, it always surprised me how close Joy was to me.  My mom’s best friend was pregnant when she was.  They both had baby girls: Hope and Joy.  When I worked as a receptionist at a psychiatric clinic, my co-worker who also answered the phone was named Joy.  So when someone called, they either heard from Hope or Joy.  Then I went to serve at a church in Canada.  The church secretary was named Joy.  Interesting, eh? 

This has made me contemplate the Advent words Hope, Peace, Joy and next week Love.  They all go together.  They flow one into the other and flow out of us if we let them.  If we have hope in God’s good news about Jesus always being with us and saving us, then we have peace in and from God.  That peace brings joy because God is with us.  All of them rolled together bring love.  Love from God to us and from us to those around us that God puts in our path.  More on joy tomorrow.

Shannon radiates God’s joy!