#joy #joytotheworld #jesus #asaviorisborn Life has good & bad surprises. Surprise, by definition, comes when you least expect it. The Christmas story is filled with good surprises. Leading up to the first Christmas, things were difficult. God’s ppl lived under oppression for the past 700 years. They had a cruel king, unfair taxes, sub-citizen times. Life was a struggle. There was more sadness than joy. Some were looking for a Savior. They expected a warrior king. They expected Him to arrive at an important place. They expected a huge triumphant announcement of his arrival to the elite. Instead, they got Him coming as a weak, small baby born in a dirty manger, surrounded by common folk. It was an unexpected night. With Jesus, Joy comes from unexpected places. Look at the shepherds. Shepherds were just out doing what they do. But then, an Angel appeared & told them about Jesus’ birth. Soon, huge heavenly choir of angels appeared, singing praise to God for His Son. This moment in scripture shows that Jesus brings Joy for ALL people. He didn’t come in a perfect situation for perfect ppl. He came in a chaotic situation for broken ppl, lonely ppl, hurt ppl! Ppl like you & me. Joy is NOT happiness. You can have Joy knowing God. Joy comes from knowing you have a place in Heaven! From this scripture (Luke 2:10-11), we get one of the most famous Christmas Songs, Joy to The World. Isaac Watts wrote the song. He was born looking unpleasantly different in the eyes of society. He suffered from high fevers & chronic disease. It got so bad that he moved to a barn where friends took care of him for the rest of his life. It was at that barn that Isaac wrote “Joy to the World”. A composer took Watts’ poem and put music to it. When the angels finished singing, the shepherds went to Bethlehem. Lo, they found it just as the angels said. A couple and a manger, in which the Hope of the world lay. I believe God did this to show that you can experience the EXTRAordinary in ordinary things. #christmas #merry #bright #happyholidays https://www.instagram.com/p/CmUqvxHOabR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
