GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

And the angel said unto them, FEAR NOT: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY, which shall be to ALL PEOPLE, for unto YOU is born this day in the city of David a SAVIOUR, which is Christ the Lord – Luke 2:10-11

It is rare these days to find people whose lives could be described as being full of GREAT JOY! Just ‘Joy’ without the ‘great’ is hard enough to come by. The world is full of troubles, struggles, stress, setbacks, and sicknesses. Praise God, the Dayspring from on high visited the world to give light to those who sit in darkness. Centuries have rolled by, but the lustre of the holy night when the Saviour was born remains unfading. From that day to this, Joy fills every heart that is open to Him!

The angels’ proclamation to the shepherds that heralded His birth was one of “good tidings of great JOY…to ALL PEOPLE.” The angels declared Joy! Mary and Joseph were amazed with Joy. The wise men were filled with Joy. The shepherds returned full of joy in their hearts. They all experienced joy on seeing the baby Jesus. Even the unborn John leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Hidden in these scriptures are Five Secrets of Great Joy:

1. Receive the Saviour: joy comes from knowing that your sin is forgiven because the Saviour has been given (Psa.32:1). Therefore, David prayed: “Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit (Psa. 51:12).
2. Fear Not: Fear is an enemy of Joy; hence, the admonition, “fear not”! FEAR rules in the dark; JOY thrives in the light. JESUS is the Light of the world; He has the Light of Life (Jh.8:12). In His presence is fullness of joy (Ps.16:11; 36:9).
3. Know Your Significance in Christ: “For unto YOU…”! YOU are significant in God’s scheme. God created you on purpose. He sent His Son to save and love you. You are valuable in His sight. You are not an accident of creation.
4. Trust in His Word: “I bring you good tidings…” Like the shepherds, those who experience great joy receive and believe God’s Promises and obey His instructions. We experience joy through the precious promises in His Word (2 Pet.1:4).
5. Family, fellowship and friendship: “…all people…” Joy comes from knowing that you are never alone on life’s journey. Like Mary, Joseph, and Elizabeth, God has placed you in a family of believers who support, encourage, pray for, and stand by you. A wise man once said: “Friends double our joys and divide our sorrows.”