For the third week of Advent, Great Commission Christian School students, with the help of some teachers, wrote a devotion on the topic for the week, “joy.”

From the GCCS Students: The tradition of Advent leads us to think on the joy around Jesus coming to earth.  Luke 1: 39-45 spoke of a unique joy.

 “39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

What a precious feeling it must be to have a baby leap in your womb and even more sacred, to have the Holy Spirit fill you to speak.  Elizabeth experienced this unique joy. The Baby Joy came to visit them for the first time!  In that moment the words Elizabeth gets to say to the Baby’s mother are words for us all.  “Blessed is she who believed” or believes “that the Lord will fulfill His promises to her!” Believing and receiving the Christ Child is great joy!

Fifth grader confessed: “To write this devotion we looked up joy verses.  There were more than we could count! This made us think that, as Christians, we know that our God wants us to have joy.”

Fourth grader shared: “What joy means to me is when you're happy and not sad, you are joyful. God uses joy by healing someone or doing something good in your life. Jesus forgives our sins.”

Sixth grader encouraged: “A good verse is  ‘be joyful always....this is God’s will for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. God wants us to be joyful.  One of the things he did is let his son die on the cross so that we could live with him in heaven and have joy.”

Fifth grader cited, “James 1:2-4. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  God will help me through the trials so that I will lack nothing. He is testing my faith and growing me to know how great he is!” 

Seventh grader responded: “When God gives us trials we can know he’s testing our faith and the Bible says all things will pass. Everything has a beginning and end for us on earth.  If you're happy it will change and if you're sad it will change. I’m also thankful that God is faithful. He lasts forever. He won’t change. In fact he has eternal joy for us in heaven.”

Here are a couple more joy verses we liked: 

“On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the LORD had done for his servant David and his people Israel.”  1 Kings 8:66

Look at all the good things God has given you.  Give Him thanks!

Finally, we found the joy verse from the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22.   "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith."  The fruit of the Holy Spirit is Joy!. Jesus produces the fruit of Joy in us through the Holy Spirit. 

Do you believe Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to you? Ask Him for the fruit of Joy to be poured into your life.  It is Christ's will for you to be joyful always. Now, believe His Word like Mary believed His angel.  He will fulfill His promises to you.  Believing in Christ Jesus, you become “favored and blessed”! Knowing Him is Joy!

Remember: God fulfilled His promise by sending Jesus to earth.  When you believe that God will fulfill his promises to you, His Joy is your blessing.  Joy is coming.  And He is in you. 

Pray with us: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus to earth to become a human. Fill us with the joy of knowing You this Christmas. May our hearts leap for joy at the celebration of your birth! Amen.