It is once again December and the month of Christmas. Many retail shops announce Christmas before Halloween, which makes Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas blend together and by the time Christmas arrives it can feel like just another holiday.
Christmas is not just another holiday.
Recently at a church service, the first song that was sung during worship was “Joy to the World”. I was reminded of the beauty of this Holiday as I sat back and reminisced about the truth of Christmas.
I have many favorite Christmas carols and “Joy to the World” would be at the very top of my list. The song was written in 1719 by Isaac Watts. He is credited with around 750 hymns. He wrote hymns at a time when the Church of England sang only the Psalms.
This particular Sunday, however, these lyrics really got my attention.
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare Him room
Let Heaven and nature sing
I learned this song as a little girl in the Amish Mennonite church where we attended church every Sunday without exception.
Christmas in my home and church was very simple but meaningful to me as a child. The Christmas story was so full of wonder! My imagination always took me to the town of Bethlehem each year.
Joy to the world was one of many songs that I would hear my mom sing as we entered the Christmas season. In those days there was no frenzied shopping at the malls or lights hung on our tree because there were no shopping malls and in our culture, Christmas trees were off limits. Christmas was about the birth of Jesus, singing carols, lots of family time, and preparing food for the festive holiday.
As a child, I experienced Christmas in a very different way than most children in the 21st century. The gifts we received from our parents, very often, were limited to one gift for all of us to be shared. I clearly remember my grandpa setting me on his lap and giving me an orange and a silver dollar. The simplicity of it warms my heart even to this day.
Today as I reminisce I can still feel the joy of the Christmas season nearly six decades ago.
As I sang this one line of Joy to the World in church – Let every heart prepare Him room – it took on a new meaning. I found myself in church responding to this invitation. Prepare your heart. Make room for Him. I experienced joy as I opened my heart once again to the Christ of Christmas.
There are so many things to distract us during this most joyous time of the year, to the point that we are in a complete frenzy as we prepare. The “to do” list is longer than the time we have to do what’s on our list. It’s easy to get caught up in the things that make Christmas a time of stress with no room for the joy of the season.
So, how do I prepare a room for the Christ of Christmas in my heart?
First of all, believing the truth about His birth. He was born in Bethlehem to a couple named Joseph and Mary. The angels announced His birth to the shepherds. The wise men saw the star and followed it to Bethlehem. They came to where He was and worshipped Him.
Just as the wise men found Him and worshipped Him, we too can find Him. And when we do, we will make room for him in our heart because we understand His reason for coming was to save us. He truly is the savior of the world.
As you allow His truth and grace to fill your mind during this Christmas season you are “making room” for Him in your heart.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
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