December 25, 2003
" Joy to the World"
My favorite carol. In fact, if I have a funeral or someone is around to that wants to do that, I want this played. I love it so.
Joy to the World
[Psalm 98, Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason, 1839]
Joy to the world! the Lord is 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 earth! 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 blessing 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 righteousness,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love
I love it because of the message that it brings, the hope that it shares and...because in the guise of a cultural seasonal song the whole world gives honor to my Jesus. I realized this phenomena was occurring about 10 years ago. I was a starry eyed novice worship leader... really in touch with words, music ect and I was walking alone in the crowded Cerritos Mall. I heard the words and the music to "Joy to the World"and I stopped and just listened. People were singing or humming the familiar tune as the walked by me. The room was atrium like and the shafts of light were pouring in on me and I was enveloped with the thought that the world was singing about Jesus. Jesus as King, Jesus as Lord, Jesus as Ruler of the earth...Amazing. The Bible says that one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus in Lord of All. All Christmas is, is a rehearsal for this great event. I shared this from the platform that Christmas Eve. ( That was also the fateful night that Woody and I went on our first date.)
Our Christmas was subdued. I baked a succulent turkey. We ate treats from Big Island Candy. John let me open my gift, a lovely tiny teapot from China, made of a black clay. Beautiful, graceful in a silk lined and covered box. I shall buy tea tomorrow and we shall have tea in it.
I don't know how much business we shall do in the next few days that finish out this month. I hope to have a few days off next week we will be closed New Years Eve...and New Years Day. I may take the days after off to prepare for the tax season. I have a load of work to do to get ready for that.
Thank Jesus for coming to the poor earth. You have changed my life and given me hope to carry on. Help me to struggle forward.
