Joy

Joy - What is it? Is it a feeling, an emotion, a state of being? Is it something we can hold in our hands, or is it just for our mind and heart to experience?

Let's see what the definition of joy is.

joy

–noun

1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation:

2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated:

3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.

4. a state of happiness or felicity.

–verb (used without object)

5. to feel joy; be glad; rejoice.

from Latin gaudia, to rejoice

So how does the definition of Joy fit into the story of Christmas? Let's go to the story of the shepherds in Luke Chapter 2, verses 8-18:

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Can you see where joy fits in? Can you see in your mind's eye the emotional response that the shepherds had when the skies opened and the host of heaven gave them the news of the Savior's birth?

My guess is that they had an emotion of great delight or happiness caused by this exceptionally good and satisfying event! I would also assume that the announcement of Jesus' birth had to be a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight, since the Savior that was foretold in prophecy was someone greatly valued and appreciated.

The shepherds expression of glad feeling and festive gaiety most likely caused a state of happiness or felicity in many of those who heard the story the shepherds told.

I am also certain that seeing Jesus in person probably caused the shepherds to feel joy, be glad, and rejoice.

The coming King had arrived! The shepherds told the news to whomever would listen, and they did it with Joy!

Here is our King!

Here is our Love!

Here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him!

He is the One! He is Jesus!