The celebration of a new baby seems to be at a different level. Kinsey said the joy after Corrie Mae was born is ‘indescribable.’ Seeing pictures of my parents holding their newest great-grandchild brings joy to my heart.

Corrie Mae’s big sister Keightley also experienced joy this week.  She celebrated her third birthday.

But there’s a much greater joy coming: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’” (I Corinthians 15:51-54)

This is the triumph of Jesus: “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (I Corinthians 15:24-26)

This triumph is closer than ever… and all who trust in Jesus will experience pure joy: “Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Corinthians 15:58)

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” I Thessalonians 4:13 -5:11

Be thankful for an INHERITANCE.

Give “joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:13) .

“When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9)

Be thankful for SALVATION.

“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:1-9)

Happy Thanksgiving!

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:15-19

The terrified shepherds knew they did not deserve the angelic announcement: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

Shepherds were the last group most would have chosen as an audience for the heavenly host singing praises to God. They were poor, uneducated, disrespected citizens of Israel, yet God chose them to unveil His world-changing activity. I sometimes think, “Who am I to experience God’s extravagant love? Why is the Father so kind to me? I surely don’t deserve it…”

The shepherds acted upon the revelation: “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” We too should be ready for action: “Let’s go visit… let’s go serve… let’s go tell…” This past spring, I had a dream about our friend Jim, who had returned to live on the streets of Atlanta. I often get very frustrated with Jim and in this dream I was angry because of his actions. When I awoke, I sensed God say: “Go tell Jim about Taylor.”

At the time, doctors had discovered a hole in our son’s heart that had existed since birth. Jim has loved Taylor since he was a kid, but I had not thought to share his circumstance. I was scheduled to receive platelets at Emory the day of my dream, so I determined to go afterwards and try to find Jim, as the clinic is not far from where he usually stays.

It was not easy, but I found him. I delivered the message about Taylor, visited a while, then returned to work. Has this event resulted in an about-face for our homeless friend? No… but perhaps the ‘message’ is the main point, rather than the desired response.

“When the shepherds had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what they had been told about this Child…” Did all the Israelites who heard the shepherds’ amazing story eventually follow Jesus as faithful disciples? I doubt it… but perhaps the ‘message’ is the main point.

The message is: God loves us all – rich, poor; old, young; educated, uneducated; Jew, Gentile… and He wants everyone to receive His everlasting love. Let’s praise God for what we’ve seen and heard. Let’s allow Jesus’ light to shine through our lives so the world will see and ‘glorify our Father in Heaven.’ (Matthew 5:16)

“The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20

We praise God for the miracle of life!

“A woman giving birth has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:21-24

Earlier, Jesus told His disciples that He wanted to give them His joy… a joy found in the love of His Father. “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15: 9-12)

The world has different understandings, but Jesus’ joy could not be separated from His Father. “In My Father, I have joy. My purpose is His purpose; My life is His life. In Me, you will have joy. Let your purpose be My purpose and your life be My life.”

Such joy allows us not to be controlled by our circumstances. No one experienced more pain or injustice than Jesus during His last days. But Jesus remained in His Father. “You will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for My Father is with Me.” (John 16:32)

When the writer of Hebrews encourages us to fix our eyes on our Savior, joy is a part of the story. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

May the joy of the Lord be our strength.

“This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10