Jesus is “full of grace and truth” and from the depths of his fullness, we keep receiving “grace upon grace” (Jn1:14,16). We also receive “hope upon hope” for Jesus is already enthroned and is “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Rev.1:5).
Lord Jesus, though Isaac Watts didn’t write “Joy to the World” as a Christmas hymn. Personally, I believe we should meditate upon it, linger in it, sing and live it year-round. For you have come and you are coming again, and life between your comings should look, smell, and feel exactly like this:
1. “Joy to the world! the Lord is come; let earth receive her King. Let heaven and nature sing…” Jesus, the more we understand the richness and implications of your two comings, the deeper our joy will be and the more spontaneous our singing. Though we await the fullness and fabulousness of your Kingdom, you are already our reigning King—sovereign over things that grieve and gladden us, confuse and thrill us, weigh us down and ignite our hearts. Thank you!
2. “Joy to the world! the Savior reigns; let men their songs employ; while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy…” One Day the entire earth will be filled with your glory. All creation is the theatre, playground, and “art-crawl” of your redeeming work. You are presently making all things new and beautiful—and you will finish with a flourish. Hallelujah!
3. “No longer let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found…” Oh for the eternal Day of sinless, sorrow-free, sickness-void, thornless, painless, not-even-one-broken-relationship living! Jesus, thank you for making your blessings flow—not drip and trickle.
4. “He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love…” In the Gospel we have already received the gift of your glorious righteousness, Jesus, and now we live by the “wonders of your love.” The nations are no threat to you; they are your inheritance (Ps.2:8). One Day you will have an impossible-to-count-Bride from every nation—to love and cherish forever (Rev. 7). This is the meaning of history and the measure of your grace. Hallelujah, and So Very Amen.
