Repeat the Sounding JOY!!

Many years ago, when I was a history teacher at a Christian school, I did an activity with my class that required each of us to come up with a name for ourselves.  This name had to reflect a godly characteristic of our personality or one we desired.  If my memory serves me correctly, the purpose of the activity was to emphasize the importance of the spoken word and our names.  I chose "Mrs. Maintaining-A-Spirit-of-Joy-Wagner".  Whenever we addressed one another in class, we had to use our chosen name. It was an interesting!  I thought that was the name that most reflected my heart's desire at that time.  Fast forward about 18 years. Even today, I want to maintain a spirit of joy. I believe joy is so important to our spiritual life.

Yesterday, I was listening to a new DVD of Christmas music I had just received from a ministry, simply having what I call my praise and worship break.  Then the song Joy to the World came on and it was like I was hearing it in a different way. The words of the song made my eyes well up with tears and my heart overflowed with worship. Here are the lyrics...yes...I know we know them but just read them slowly....ponder them.

JOY to the WORLD
the LORD has COME
let EARTH receive her KING.
LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM

AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and heaven and nature sing.

JOY to the WORLD
the SAVIOR REIGNS
let men their SONGS employ
while FIELDS and FLOODS, ROCKS, HILLS AND PLAINS
REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding JOY.

NO more let SINS and SORROWS grow
nor THORNS infest the ground
He COMES to make HIS BLESSINGS FLOW
Far AS THE CURSE IS FOUND, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with TRUTH and GRACE
and makes the NATIONS prove  
the GLORIES OF HIS RIGTHEOUSNESS
and WONDERS of HIS LOVE, and wonders of His love, and wonders, and wonders of His love. 

Selah. 

Luke 2:8-14

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the GLORY of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY which will be to ALL PEOPLE.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a MULTITUDE of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

As I was worshipping, I just keep hearing in my spirit, repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy.   It was as if I saw a picture of heaven and earth singing, praising God for the joy that had come into the earth through Christ His Son.  Real Joy. Eternal JOY.  The joy that can only come from the Source of Life.  Just think about the fact that ALL of heaven repeats the sounding joy.  All of nature, repeats the sounding joy.. the fields, the floods, the rocks, the hills, the plains...repeat the sounding joy.  This is the joy that Jesus gives us as gifts, His Joy, not just Christmas joy but eternal joy that the world can't take away. Finally, this joy has an expression. It has a sound. It is a joyful praise. It is a joy that can't be silenced. It is joy worth repeating.  Joy worth sharing. JOY JOY JOY.

JOY to the WORLD! Great joy to all people.

May the Presence of the King and His JOY touch your heart and the hearts of those you love  this Christmas...and may we all repeat the sounding joy!




© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles, 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.