Seize the Moment – Day 291

Today’s Final Christmas hymn: “Joy to the World”

 
 “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!” (ESV)

 

“Joy to the world” is perhaps an unlikely popular Christmas hymn. First of all, it is based on a psalm, and, second, it celebrates Christ’s second coming much more than the first.
 
This favorite Christmas hymn is the result of a collaboration of at least three people:  English poet and clergy, Isaac Watts, composer of Handel’s Messiah:  George Frederick Handel, and Boston music educator, Lowell Mason. These men lived almost a century from each other, yet their work brought about this glorious song.

 

As we approach a new year, we need to look for opportunities to bring this message of joy to a world that is in desperate need of it. Yes, we can pull from the past, but we must make the most of the present to ensure that we are looking forward to the future that God has in store for us.

 

Wake up and be determined each day to seek God first and start the day with remembering that no matter how dark the night was, JOY comes in the morning!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
 
 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

Joy to the World

 
1
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive its king;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
 
2
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
 
3
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.
 
4
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,
 
 
If you would like to hear the melody played, click on this link:
 
 
 
 

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