Bible Verse of the Day Sunday December 17th 2023 (3rd Advent of Joy)

Luke 2:10-11 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

The angel's declaration to the shepherds proclaims the arrival of the long-awaited promised Messiah, the world's Savior. These shepherds were the first to receive the good tidings of the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. The joy that the parents of a newborn baby feel is just a slight glimpse of the joy brought by the arrival of the Savior of the World. Jesus' arrival enforces the truth of Salvation by grace through faith, the cause for rejoicing and receiving living water from the fountain of Salvation.

Reflect on a traveler through a desert in great thirst and discovering a refreshing spring in the desert. In Christ Jesus, we find a wellspring of Joy that gratifies our deepest yearnings and thirst. The third Advent candle symbolizes the joy that radiates from the Savior's arrival, the joy that fills our hearts and overflows into a world longing for true happiness. The joy of our Salvation is not a transitory emotion but an intense experience we receive from placing our faith and trust in God. It's a joy that surpasses and transcends surface-level happiness. The joy of the Lord is not a worldly happiness that comes and goes. It is a constant delight in our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.

As beneficiaries of the joy of salvation, God calls us to share that joy with those around us, The Great Commission encourages us to be bearers of Joy, spreading the message of salvation to the ends of the earth. Think about the joy of a rescued person eager to share their story with others. In Christ, we are rescued and compelled to share our joy. God calls us to share that joy with those around us; the Great Commission encourages us to be bearers of Joy, spreading the message of salvation to the ends of the earth. Reflect on the joy of a person that has been held in captivity for a period and then set free, eager to share their message of freedom with the world. The Candel we light on this third Advent stands to remind us of the joy that we know because of the birth of our savior, Christ Jesus.

May the joy of the Savior's arrival be a seasonal excitement and a constant delight and enjoyment in our lives, but a daily surrender to God. As we traverse the challenges of this world, may the enduring joy found in Christ be our strength. Let us be joy-bearers, sharing the good news of Salvation with a world desperate for lasting happiness. In a world that often seeks joy in transitory pleasures, let our lives be an acknowledgment of the joy that surpasses circumstances. May our joy this year always be in our Savior, Jesus Christ.