Today’s Devotional is offered by Cindy Joy.

The Lord your God is in your midst ~
a warrior bringing victory.
He will create calm with his love;
he will rejoice over you with singing.
~Zephaniah 3:17

Tomorrow we come to the Third Sunday of Advent and will celebrate the gift of ‘joy’ through a Service of Lessons and Carols. This traditional English service was first held in King’s College Chapel in Cambridge on Christmas Eve, 1918. Reading the prophetic scriptures and gospel narratives; singing and playing the beautiful carols and music of the Advent~Christmas season are a meaningful way for the church to join together in worship and celebration.

There is something very special about gathering with people we love and care about . . . whether it’s spending time with friends or sharing a meal around the table with our families. There, however, is something so significant and beautiful when we gather as the body of Christ and lift our voices in praise through our words, our prayers, and yes, our singing! God created us to worship Him and we are commanded through the scriptures to “Sing for joy to the Lord, O you righteous ones.” (Psalm 33:1); “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:1-2)

During the Advent season, we focus on the gifts that God gives to us through His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. These gifts are hope, peace, joy, and love . . . four simple words that are so deep and rich in what they mean and bring to us. They are to be cultivated in our own lives so that we might share and encourage them in the lives of others. The ‘joy’ that God gives to us is an indescribable gift! The Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 16:11, “You will make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy…”

I pray that as we continue our Advent journey we will know the ‘fullness of His joy’ through our gathering, in our worship, and through one another!