by Beth Evanko

Joy is the third week of Advent’s theme.  It somewhat ironic because by this time most of us are lucky to be feeling tolerable let alone joy. We find that the weeks after Thanksgiving can seem more like a marathon than a time to prepare our hearts for Christmas. As we navigate these weeks filled with commitments, shopping, cooking, etc. we find that this yuletide season is a recipe to be Ebenezer Scrooge (pre ghosts encounters) rather than like the shepherds on that fateful night. It creates a recipe which gives us a joyless Christmas. 

A Joyless Christmas 

1 stick of neglecting prayer 

½ cup of social media viewing 

½ cup of lost time in meaningless activities 

2 cups of endless shopping and preparations 

2 teaspoons of envy 

1 teaspoon of regret 

1 teaspoon of frustration 

1 cup of unforgiveness 

Preheat. Cream the first three ingredients fully. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Pour in a beautiful Christmas pan and bake until you are done or Christmas comes. 

Yikes! That is often how it turns out since we have the best of intentions as we begin with our Advent devotional, a Bible reading plan, and other accoutrements of a Christian journeying with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and then enters life hijacking our trip. The question is then how can we maintain our joy especially when the world around us is siphoning it out of us? 

Let’s look to the shepherds to see joy. They were watching over their sheep that night when an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and they were terrified. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great JOY for all the people. (Luke 2:8-10) That Good News is joy! Knowing that we have a Father who loves us so much that He would send His only son to die for us is our joy. Yet, the realities of life overshadow it with a plethora of emotions that leave us lost and alone. So, what can we do to maintain and grow our joy? If there is a recipe for a joyless Christmas, I would contend that there is one for a joyful Christmas and all the days of our lives. 

Joyful Christmas 

1 stick of prayer 

½ cup of Advent devotionals 

½ cup of time listening to the Holy Spirit in daily life 

2 cups of time in reading the Bible 

2 teaspoons of gratitude 

1 teaspoon of solitude with God 

1 teaspoon of being salt to the world 

1 cup of forgiving and repenting 

Preheat the home, church, and community. Cream the first three ingredients fully. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Pour in a beautiful Christmas pan and bake until a fragrant aroma is emitted. Then share with a broken and hurting world daily. 

Amid the challenges of the days leading to Christmas and of our lives, we can find joy in these circumstances just as Paul did when he was unfairly imprisoned in Rome.  Paul maintained his focus on the Lord while seeing the good that was the result of the trials as he was submitting to God’s will.  Just as a cook must have skills to create a delicious recipe, we too as Christians should have in our repertoire to pray without ceasing, read the Bible daily, walk with the Holy Spirit, and other disciplines so that we will grow our joy. Our focus must always be on Jesus who came that Christmas day to die on the cross for our sins; that is our joy in knowing He is our Savior. Please join in this Advent prayer for joy. 

Almighty God, We thank you for the season of Advent. May we be like the shepherds on that night so that we too may know and share the glad tidings of great Joy with all people. Help us to grow closer to You so that we will find joy in all circumstances, the good as well as the challenging. In Jesus’ name. Amen.