Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. (Isaiah 35:5-6 ESV)
Biblical joy goes far beyond momentary happiness. It is more than the happiness a child experiences when they unwrap a gift they’d hoped to receive on Christmas day.
It is an extreme happiness that circumstances cannot deter. This type of joy comes from God alone. This joy can be experienced when a Christian thinks about salvation, eternal life, or Jesus.
It is an eager anticipation about wonderful things to come. The shepherds experienced this as they traveled to Bethlehem to see Jesus.
When we have the joy of the Lord, we want to share it with others and sing out loud the wonderful things He has done for us!
“You may be lonely, poor, and cold, neglected by the children, forgotten by your friends, yet may have the glad Christmas joy in your heart as Paul had, shut up in prison cells at Rome!” - John R. Rice