I have decided to focus a few days on those old Christmas carols that minister to my soul this time of year. I did that once in devotions decades ago, and have since lost those devotions in my many computer replacements. So, I want to take a fresh look and think about the messages those old carols speak to me.
What better place to begin than with “Joy to the World!”
“Joy to the world, the LORD has come. Let earth receive her King!”
Ah, but earth did not receiver her King. John tells us, “He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” [John 1:10-11 HCSB]
In fact, His own people went so far as to declare that they would not have this man rule over them. They did not want a man who sat with children and healed hurting men and women. They wanted someone who would drive the Romans from their land, someone who would lead a rebellion, someone like Barabbas. When it came time to choose one to live and one to die, Jesus or Barabbas, they chose Barabbas to live.
“Let every heart, prepare Him room.”
And when rejected, this King went to a cross and opened a way for every person to come to God through His sacrifice. “But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God.” [John 1:12 HCSB]
“Let heaven and nature sing. Let heaven and nature sing. Let heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.”
Today I sing the most beautiful of songs … “I am a child of God!”
