Skip to content

I Stand In The Gap

Standing in Prayer, Serving The World

Menu
  • Welcome
  • About Us
    • Purpose
    • Who We Are
    • What We Believe
  • Reflections
    • Kathy’s Reflections
    • Steve’s Reflections
  • Prayer Alerts
  • Prayer Updates
  • Request Prayer
    • Prayer List
  • Resources
    • Prayer Closet
    • The Gospel
    • References
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
    • Subscribe to Our Mailing List
    • Support Steve and Kathy
Menu

Advent Devotion – 12/23/2010

Posted on 12/23/1007/31/18 by Steve

December 23, 2010: Joy

Scripture: Luke 2:9-11 (KJV)

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Devotion:

“Joy to the World!”, “Comfort and Joy”, “Love and joy come to you”, “O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant”. The carols and songs of Christmas speak of joy. But what is joy? Too many times I think we put joy and happiness into the same bucket and think they are one and the same. But happiness is based on circumstances and is fleeting; joy is in spite of the circumstances and lasts. You can be joyful in the midst of troubles. It is not turning a blind eye your problems but looking past your problems and seeing what is really there. It’s an attitude of gratitude that keeps us connected to joy.

Jesus came to be our Savior. The angels tell of good tidings of great joy. The first Christmas was not some beautiful Christmas card worthy scene but real life in the living and that what Jesus came to live in – real life, our life, with all of the pain and ugliness that we can bring to it. Yes, this is a season of joy but many find nothing but sadness – I am very much aware that in the Pierce Family’s joy for Dad’s new gift of life is a touch of the pain that another family is feeling in the loss of a loved one (and I hope that their joy can be found in the giving of this almost unspeakable gift!).  In spite of the problems we have as individuals, families, and nations, we can find joy. We can find the One who came to bring us joy just as the shepherds and wise men did long ago.

What keeps you from being joyful? What causes you to see joy?

Father, let us hear again in our hearts the message of the angel of the Lord and let the good tidings warm our hearts this Christmas. In spite of what we see or even know, help us to find joy. In the name of Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring. Amen.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Reflections

  • 12/24/21   Christmas
  • 12/20/21   Advent: Love
  • 12/11/21   Advent: Joy

Recent Prayer Alerts

  • 06/23/22   Prayer Alert: Afghanistan Earthquake
  • 05/25/22   Prayer Alert: Pray for Uvalde

Recent Prayer Updates

  • 06/12/22   May Prayer Update: Delight
  • 05/11/22   April Prayer Update: Don’t Give Up Too Soon!
  • 04/13/22   March Prayer Update: Finishing Well
  • 04/13/22   February Prayer Update: Let It Rain
The Gospel
Facebook
Support Steve and Kathy
Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Translate

en English
af Afrikaanssq Shqipam አማርኛar العربيةhy Հայերենaz Azərbaycan dilieu Euskarabe Беларуская моваbn বাংলাbs Bosanskibg Българскиca Catalàceb Cebuanony Chichewazh-CN 简体中文zh-TW 繁體中文co Corsuhr Hrvatskics Čeština‎da Dansknl Nederlandsen Englisheo Esperantoet Eestitl Filipinofi Suomifr Françaisfy Fryskgl Galegoka ქართულიde Deutschel Ελληνικάgu ગુજરાતીht Kreyol ayisyenha Harshen Hausahaw Ōlelo Hawaiʻiiw עִבְרִיתhi हिन्दीhmn Hmonghu Magyaris Íslenskaig Igboid Bahasa Indonesiaga Gaeligeit Italianoja 日本語jw Basa Jawakn ಕನ್ನಡkk Қазақ тіліkm ភាសាខ្មែរko 한국어ku كوردی‎ky Кыргызчаlo ພາສາລາວla Latinlv Latviešu valodalt Lietuvių kalbalb Lëtzebuergeschmk Македонски јазикmg Malagasyms Bahasa Melayuml മലയാളംmt Maltesemi Te Reo Māorimr मराठीmn Монголmy ဗမာစာne नेपालीno Norsk bokmålps پښتوfa فارسیpl Polskipt Portuguêspa ਪੰਜਾਬੀro Românăru Русскийsm Samoangd Gàidhligsr Српски језикst Sesothosn Shonasd سنڌيsi සිංහලsk Slovenčinasl Slovenščinaso Afsoomaalies Españolsu Basa Sundasw Kiswahilisv Svenskatg Тоҷикӣta தமிழ்te తెలుగుth ไทยtr Türkçeuk Українськаur اردوuz O‘zbekchavi Tiếng Việtcy Cymraegxh isiXhosayi יידישyo Yorùbázu Zulu
References & Copyrights | Send Prayer Request
Any material may be copied & distributed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice and our World Wide Web URL https://istandinthegap.org
Privacy Policy
© 2022 I Stand In The Gap | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme