by Sherri Moran
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.
Receiving our King
Make room! The long awaited Messiah has arrived. Isaiah prophesied that, “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (7:14). After 700 years of waiting, Jesus was born and the earth did indeed receive a King. “I bring you good news of great joy,” proclaimed the angel, joining with a multitude of heavenly hosts in praise: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:10, 14).
In 1719, Isaac Watts wrote a poem that was later adapted to become the famous Christmas hymn, "Joy to the World". Based on Psalm 98’s imagery of the rivers clapping their hands and the hills singing for joy, this song tells of the Lord making known His salvation through the coming of Christ. This coming is what Christians are celebrating right now during the Advent season. We join with all the earth to declare that we have received Jesus as King of our hearts and lives. Are you ready to celebrate?
Preparing our hearts
Jesus’ coming changed everything. His birth in a stable set the stage for God’s grand plan of redemption. His death brought forgiveness and life. Those who receive Him as Lord are never the same again. We no longer live to ourselves, dead in our sin. We die to ourselves for the sake of following Christ, and are made alive as citizens of a new Kingdom to come. Not only do we celebrate His coming, but we eagerly await His second coming. Making room in our hearts for this important time of reflection may take on various Advent readings, activities, and traditions. What a special time to celebrate the joy of Christmas by teaching and rehearsing the good news of our Savior’s birth and the gospel of His salvation with children. What is your tradition to prepare your own heart and the hearts of those in the next generation that you care about so deeply?
Singing with heaven and nature
We invite you to join us for the month of December in reflecting on this beloved Christmas carol and the eternal joy that is ours in Christ. As brothers and sisters who share an important passion and partnership for passing along the glorious deeds of the Lord to the next generation, we have the privilege of modeling wholehearted worship of the King in a world that is filled with false worship and idolatry. Let us do as Charles Spurgeon urged on Christmas Day in 1876, “Sing, then, your anthems and praise God with all your hearts…again and again and again lift up your joyful hymns unto the new-born King!..Immanuel, God with us…Come and worship God manifest in the flesh and be filled with His light and sweetness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” May the Lord fill our hearts with songs of joy this season.
Invest in the joy of the next generations
Make an investment with an eternal impact:
- Purchase resources from the Family Discipleship Gift Guide for children and grandchildren. Your purchases further support the mission of Truth78, expanding a vision of discipleship for the next generation around the world.
- Make donations to our ministry for the eternal joy of the next generations. Your partnership through financial investment is vital for our ministry. Our annual budget depends on generous financial giving to operate and implement strategic initiatives.
Sherri Moran serves in the role of partner development manager, joining the team after years of homeschooling her children, teaching writing and biblical worldview classes, and working in children's ministry at a local church. It's a joy for her to assist our executive director in managing partner relationships, communications, events, and other details to further the vision and mission of Truth78. Sherri and her husband, Ryan, live in Carmel, IN and have four children who are growing up way too fast.
