How's your joy? Really. Are you joyful? I mean it.

Joy check. Right now. Yes, you. Let's check. No matter your circumstances. Things going great. Or not so much. Thinking you are more blessed than you deserve. Or wondering what curse you inherited.

Luke 2:10 records, "And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.'" Do you have joy? Great joy? You make up one part of the phrase "all people", don't you? The angel meant you. Me. Us. We. Joy. Really. Joy. No kidding. It's right there in the Bible. God said it. He meant it. For real. Joy.

And then the carol. Not Scripture, true. But meaningful to many of us. A connection through verse & song. Memories mixed with melodies. Visions of Christmases past. Anticipation of eternity future.

Joy to the World , the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Amidst all you are doing these days. Making your list. Checking it twice. Have you left room for Jesus? Maybe you need to make room for Jesus. He came to save you. He wants to guide you. He has always loved you. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' & believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved," says Romans 10:9. Take a minute to ask: Have I opened my heart to Jesus?

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

Oh, I hope you are singing. This time of year. Christmastime. Celebrating the of the birth of our King, Jesus. Even you non-singers. You shower only singers. You stick in the mud afraid to sing a note folks. I hope you are singing carols. Smiling. Thinking. Joyful. For all God is & has done for you. If you are not singing right now will you ask, why am I not singing the praises of Jesus?

No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.

Did you know that when Adam & Eve sinned creation itself fell? The perfection of creation was marred by sin. And the curse of sin came to earth. Genesis 3:17-18 tells us so. From that time until now, one sin has followed another. We can't help it. It's our sin nature. Yet, God brings us into personal realtionship with Himself - through his son, born to us on earth, Jesus Christ - to love us no matter our sinfulness. We must ask in response: How do I spread the blessings of Jesus?

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.

"The Word (note the capital "W", Friends) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One & Only (more capitals), who came from the Father, full of grace & truth," states John 1:14. Jesus is the Word of God to us. God in flesh. Living Grace. Incarnate Truth. He is full of both grace & truth. I pray that you know both his grace & his truth in your life. I pray that you can consider & live out this last question herein: How can I share the love of Jesus?

Open your heart.

Sing his praise.

Spread his message.

Share his love.

And about that joy check: How's your joy now?

Merry CHRISTmas, Friends!