Week 4

Below, you will find a short liturgy for Advent Week 4. You may do this alone or with a few others. Before you get started today, make sure you have a basket, bowl, or other decorative container; a pen, and a few small pieces of paper. If you do this with others, make sure you have enough pens and paper for everyone. Also, before you get started, make sure to assign who will read the prayers as well as the comments under the Silence, Song, Reflection, and Practice sections. (Also, if you like to journal, get your journal out now and jot down thoughts and reflections as you go.)

Opening Prayer

Begin with this prayer:

Song of Praise

Begin your devotional time today by listening to “Joy to the World”. Today’s song is less contemplative than in past weeks, and for good reason. Today’s devotional is about joy. I know it has been a really tough year for many of us, but there are still reasons to rejoice, and this season is one of them! Even if you are finding it difficult to rejoice this year, listen to this song and ask our God of Joy to share his joy with you. Perhaps, even get up during this song, dance, raise your hands, or take another posture that signifies joy. It is amazing how our body posture can affect our spirits. And do pay attention to the words of this song for they speak of the joy that animates this season. (If you like to journal, you might want to write down the words that stand out to you. Otherwise, just listen.)

Silence

Enter into a time of silence, reflecting on the following:

What words from this song stood out to you? Take a moment to reflect on all you have heard. Is there a particular word that God has for you today? How might God be inviting you to receive his joy in this season and to carry it out to the world in 2021?

Reflection and Practice

Reflection

Ponder the following:

Today we had the opportunity to listen to one of the staple hymns of Christmas, “Joy to the World.” Almost every church sings this hymn on Christmas Eve, and while this practice is good, this hymn is more appropriately an Advent song than a Christmas song for it is actually based off of Psalm 98 and more about Jesus’ second coming than his first. And while Jesus’ first coming - his birth, life, death, and resurrection, is exceedingly Good News, His second coming is even better news because when He returns, He will make all things right! He will usher in a new heavens and new earth! When our King comes, when our savior reigns, and His whole world is filled with the wonders of His love, the earth will finally be full of justice, peace, flourishing, wholeness, and right relationship. And when we contemplate this reality, we cannot help but rejoice, even now. No matter what is going on in our lives at the moment, those of us who put our trust in Jesus have this great hope of a wonderful future. We know that there is a profoundly happy ending.

We also know that in the interim, we have the wonderful gift of God’s presence. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is still very much Emmanuel, “God with Us” and as we dwell in His presence, He, who endured pain in his life can comfort us in our pain. And He who is Joy in his very being, can impart His joy onto us. And perhaps even better than all that, because of Jesus’ enduring presence with us, we can then impart His comfort and joy onto the world around us, through acts of kindness, compassion, hospitality, care, listening, gift-giving, and love. We can also do so by sharing Jesus’ truth and grace with the world and by doing our part to bring justice to our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, governments, and beyond.

Practice - Listening to Scripture and Filling up Our Joy Basket

Especially when times are tough, it can be difficult to remember the joys that God brings to us everyday, so therefore it is good to pause and reflect on all our sources of joy and to thank God for them.

First, take a moment to listen to Psalm 98, the Scripture off of which “Joy to the World” is based.

You can also read the Psalm here.

Now, take out your basket, bowl, or whatever container you have, and spend time reflecting on sources of joy in the four categories listed below, writing them down and putting them into your “Joy Basket”. Consider leaving this Joy Basket out for the remainder of Advent and for all 12 Days of Christmas and adding to it daily. Then on Twelfth Night (the last day of Christmas), spend some time reading through all your joys. This can especially be fun when doing this with your family.

• What are the big and little joys that God bestows on you everyday? (Another way of saying this is, what are the things in life that bring you joy?)

• What brings you joy in those times when you are feeling discouraged?

• What are concrete ways that you can bring joy to others in this season and beyond?

• What are you most excited about when you think of Jesus coming back and making all things new - a world where justice, flourishing, right relationship, and wholeness reigns for every more?

Silence

After you have finished naming your joys that you have put into your Joy Basket, spend some time in silence, quietly thanking God for all the joys he brings to you.

Advent Prayer

Now rest in the Advent Prayer spoken in the video below.

Closing Prayers

Explore Futher

If you are curious about the origins and meaning of the song, “Joy to the World”, check out this article.

For my recent Advent sermon on Joy and Justice, click below.

Also, if you missed out on the previous Advent devotionals that focused on Self-Reflection, Lament, and Wonder, click here.