Choosing Joy!

Written by Sue VanderKlay - Heartland Church - Fort Wayne, IN
​Photo Credit: Rhonda Bailey

A devotional dedicated to my mom, who passed away on December 20, 2016.

“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20 NIV).

I learned something new during our time together at church on December 15, 2019. The song, “Joy to the World,” was not actually written as a Christmas song! It’s a song celebrating Christ’s return! 

Often, as a child and young lady, I remember my mom humming “Joy to the World” or singing portions of it throughout the year. I remember thinking or wondering if maybe she just longed for Christmas to come as that was her favorite time of year. Family, whom we wouldn’t see but maybe once or twice a year, would come to visit.  Now, I’m thinking that maybe mom knew it wasn’t “just” a Christmas song. 

Mom struggled so much during her life here on earth! Towards the end, she just wanted to hear His word and how it had brought growth and joy to those she loved. She also wanted to be told that she was loved by her family but, most of all, her Lord and Savior. During one of the last times I visited her, I remember hearing someone in the gathering area of the nursing home playing “Joy to the World” on the piano, and she was humming along. She couldn’t speak at that point, and it didn’t really seem as if she understood much, but she knew that song!  

This year, we have all faced some tough times, and we may face many more challenges in the days and years to come.  But the rest of this year and in the new year to come, we have the option to CHOOSE JOY! 

Key Thought: As we come to the close of this year, remember that our Lord longs for us to draw close to Him, experience the joy, receive the blessings, fill ourselves with His truths, and see the wonders of His love as we prepare for His second coming!

Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her king;
Let every heart, prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing, 
And heaven and nature sing, 
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and flocks, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found, 
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove;
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.