JOY!!!!!! The joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah
8:10) Otherwise translated: The joy that the Lord gives you will make you
strong. Matthew Henry says: The joy of the Lord is your strength. Let it not be
a carnal sensual joy, but holy and spiritual, the joy of the Lord, joy in the
goodness of God, under the direction and government of the grace of God, joy arising
from our interest in the love and favour of our God and the tokens of His
favour. This joy will be your strength, therefore encourage it…Holy joy will be
oil to the wheels of our obedience.”
I looked up the origin of the word happy. Check this out:
happy (adj.) late 14c., "lucky, favored by fortune,
prosperous;" of events, "turning out well," from hap (n.)
"chance, fortune" + -y (2). Sense of "very glad". first
recorded late 14c. Ousted Old English eadig (from ead "wealth,
riches") and gesælig, which has become silly. Meaning "greatly
pleased and content" is from 1520s.
Our happiness is based on good fortune, prosperous events,
and being greatly pleased and content regarding circumstances. JOY, on the
other hand, comes from being in relationship with the Lord and the in-dwelling
Holy Spirit. The fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22&23)
“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill
me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm
16:11
Week 3 of Advent recognizes that in the midst of our
waiting, in the midst of sober reflection and repentance, we still have joy
because our Savior for Whom we wait, already came over 2000 years ago, in a
manger. And we may rejoice today not only in His birth but also in anticipation
of His glorious return!
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