Most of my memories of Christmas Eve include a marathon afternoon and evening filled with several worship services.  I loved every minute!  It began with a Children’s Family Worship and concluded with Midnight Candlelight.  What I loved most about the late worship was the singing of “Silent Night”, blowing out the candles, and then experiencing the first breath of Christmas Day together singing “Joy to the World”.

The emphasis here is not only the joy that the Christ Child brings, but also that this joy is for the entire WORLD.  “God so loved the world that he gave his Son that the world might be saved!” ( John 3:16)

Recently I ran across this photo and story on Facebook…

In “About the Name”, Official Ubuntu Documentation, the word is defined as a “belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.”  To me it seems to incorporate Paul’s writing about the body of Christ together…“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (I Corinthians 12:26).

This morning in worship, the message was about JOY.  The pastor asked us to quickly turn to someone we did not know and share our greatest memory of experiencing joy.  I turned to the young mother sitting next to me and asked about her moment.  After a long pause and a blank stare, she said, “I can’t remember any joy.”  I tried to encourage a little, gently, but nothing changed for her.  Again she said, “I don’t remember having joy.”  I felt so sad.  I said, “I hope this Christmas brings you joy.”  She responded, “I hope so too.”

The pastor went on with the message.  I could not stop thinking about this young woman beside me.  As the worship service came to a close, the children’s choir sang, “Are you ready for the light to shine upon you?”.   Then we all joined hands, singing together, “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love…” .  As we were leaving, I gave her a piece of paper with my name and phone number.  I told her I would be praying for her. All the way home I thought about UBUNTU.  I saw in my mind the photo of the children.  She is in my circle.  She is in my heart.  I thought about the body of Christ.  I heard in my heart the words of Jesus, “My joy will be in you, and your joy will be full” (John 15:11).

Come! Lord Jesus, Come!!  I want my friend to experience JOY this Christmas!

nk

Pondering…

Is there anyone you might help bring into the circle of  JOY?