Behold,
I bring you good news
of great joy
that will be for all the people.
Luke 2:10

When the angel appeared to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem to announce the birth of Jesus, he told them he had good news. But not just any good news. This, he said, was good news of great joy.

I don’t know what kind of week you’ve had so far, but I can imagine you’ve run into some joy robbers. You’ve heard discouraging words. You’ve felt regret about things not going as you had hoped. Someone else’s bad mood has infected your disposition. You’ve faced conflict. Pressure. Stress.

The good news the shepherds received from the angels just outside of Bethlehem was that a baby had been born that night. A Savior. The Anointed One. The Lord God Himself.

This was the Good News that brings great joy.

Joy is not linked to our circumstances. Joy is closely linked to hope. The reason the divine birth announcement was news of great joy is because it brought hope that what was ahead would be better than what was happening in the moment.

The path to joy is the path of hope.

The great British preacher Charles Spurgeon, reflecting on the Good News of great joy announced to the shepherds at the birth of Jesus, had these thoughts for his congregation in London in 1871:

“The further you submit yourself to Christ the Lord, the more completely you know him, and are like him, the fuller will your happiness become. Surface joy is to those who live where the Savior is preached. But the great deeps, the great fathomless deeps of solemn joy are for such as know the Savior, obey the anointed one, and have communion with the Lord himself. He is the most joyful man who is the most Christly man.”

The momentary joys of the Christmas season are a shadow or a foretaste of a greater joy that is to come. During the season of advent, we can remind ourselves that it is ultimately that fullness of joy for which we are waiting.

Prayer: Lord, in the midst of all I’m facing right now, give me joy as I find my hope and my peace in knowing you and centering my life on your purposes for me.