Week 3 of Advent: The JOY That Nothing Can Take From You
But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem!” (Luke 2:10-11 NLT)
“You will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” (John 16:22)
Joy is one of the most radiant themes of Advent. It's not surface-level happiness or seasonal cheer, but rather a soul-deep gladness rooted in the presence of Christ. True joy doesn’t depend on what’s happening around us; it flows from the unshakable reality of who Jesus is and what He has done.
On a typical night in Bethlehem, ordinary shepherds tended their flocks when heaven broke through with a message that would change history. An angel appeared, declaring, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people” (Luke 2:10). The shepherds, startled and afraid, soon found themselves witnesses to the glory of God revealed in the form of a newborn King.
The angel’s announcement to the shepherds wasn’t just a feel-good message. It was good news of great joy; joy that changed everything, for everyone, forever. Jesus’ birth was heaven’s declaration that God’s love had drawn near, and that redemption had come in the form of a baby.
Joy can seem hard to hold onto in a world that feels unpredictable and heavy. But the joy of the Lord is not dependent on our circumstances. It’s anchored in who God is and what He has done. Mary’s song of praise (Luke 1:46-55) was sung before the miracle had fully unfolded. She rejoiced in God’s faithfulness, not because she had all the answers, but because she knew the One who did. That same joy can fill our hearts when we choose to praise before we see the outcome.
Advent joy calls us to rejoice even in the waiting, because we know the end of the story. It reminds us that God is working, even when we cannot see it. We taste this joy now through the Holy Spirit, yet we also long for the day when our joy will be made complete in His presence forever. And because of Jesus, we have a joy that no one and nothing can take away.
Think of a season when joy seemed impossible, yet God’s presence lifted your spirit. That’s the joy Advent invites us to rediscover. And joy grows when we give it away. A smile, a kind word, or an unexpected act of service can point others to the true source of our joy—Jesus Christ.
Father, thank You for the joy that comes through Jesus. Fill our hearts with rejoicing this week, not because life is perfect, but because You are. Let joy rise up in us, overflow to others, and shine like a light in the darkness. In every moment, may we choose joy. Amen.
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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
