Daily Advent devotions, week 3: Joy

Joy is a gift that we receive from God and that we can give to all of those around us through kindness, service and faith in action.

Day 15

Isaiah 61:1-4, 10-11: The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion – to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. 

My youngest daughter has always enjoyed gardening. Every year she plants annuals in our yard, and sometimes she has potted plants, too. This year she had her first garden in a raised bed on our deck.  She planted cucumbers, jalapeños, green beans and sunflowers, and we also had a tomato plant. 

Early in the summer, she was gone for almost a month. Before she had even been gone a full day, she asked me to send pictures of her plants. Almost every day she wanted pictures, probably as proof that I was caring for them, but also because she loved them so much. I would tell her that nothing had changed from the day before, but she wanted a new, real-time picture of her garden.

The way she cared for her plants is the way God cares for us. God wants to see our growth, and loves us into that growth. Where we may only see dirt, God sees a place for a shoot to spring up. When it looks like there is no hope, God will “cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations.” 

The opposite of joy is despair. It is easy to listen to the news and despair about the state of the world.  However, the prophet Isaiah reminds us to rejoice. We are not to fear, but cling to the joy that God has planted within our hearts. The joy can spring up through us as we sing and praise God. Soon we will see the garden that God has planted around us blooming. We may have to look for it the small signs of life pushing through the dirt.

Listen to the poem “Joy Chose You” by Donna Ashworth.

Pray: Loving God, thank you for loving me unconditionally.

Day 16

Psalm 126: When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Bringing joy to others brings joy to us. Steve Hartman is a reporter on CBS who shares feel-good stories. In December 2023, he shared the story of the Secret Santa Club in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Brown is a teacher and asks his class to watch videos to spark kindness. One of their favorites is the “Secret Santa,” the wealthy business man who hands out $100 bills. The students raised $8000 (without help from school or district) so they could give it away. The kids noticed that “the more they gave, the more they got.” One girl said, “their joy, that’s the gift to you.” You can watch the full story here.

We may not have $100 bills to hand out to strangers, but there are many small kindnesses that can spread joy. Joy is contagious. 

Frederick Buechner, the Christian writer and theologian, writes definitions of faith words in his book Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC. He defines vocation as “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” What brings you deep gladness? When you share it with others, you are spreading joy and serving God.

Read “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rosetti, and/or listen to it sung by James Taylor.

Pray: Creator, open my heart to opportunities to spread joy today.

Day 17

Philippians 1:3-11: I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

I went on Family Leave in 2020 for a number of reasons. As the world got back to “normal” from the pandemic, I began wondering what was next for me in my career. Was it serving a church again? God very clearly told me no, not now. I worked with my spiritual director about the discomfort of not knowing what God was calling me to do next. However, we also worked to discern what God is saying to me for today.

Sometimes we think God’s call is for “big” things, like to become a pastor, or lay leader, or serve on a ministry team at church. However, God’s call comes in all sorts of ways. The tiny tug at our heart to reach out to someone, to smile and offer kindness to a stranger, to spend time in prayer and reading Scripture. In our baptism, we affirm that we are all called by God to be God’s beloved children. Our response is to love and serve God and God’s people. What we do is important, but also who we are and how we choose to be is just as important. 

Listen to “Away in a Manger” in Filipino. Then sing in your preferred language.

Pray: Loving God, use me today to offer love to another beloved.

Day 18

Luke 3:7-18: John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’: for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah. John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear the threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin. People believed he could be the Messiah, the one for whom they had been waiting. John is quick to affirm that he is not, but One was coming who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, not just water. 

John could have easily let it go to his head that so many were coming to the wilderness to be baptized by him. He could have charged money, or even preached words that people wanted to hear. Instead, he calls people snakes. He tells them to prove that they have changed their hearts and lives.  He does not let them off the hook, nor does he give them easy assignments. We would do well to take his teachings to heart today. 

Could anyone tell by the way we live that we are Jesus followers? How has our faith changed our heart or life? 

Listen to “God Rest, Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings” by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan.

Pray: Generous God, give me a heart of generosity and the wisdom of how to use it to serve your people.

Day 19

Luke 1:46-55, The Magnificat – Mary’s Song of Praise: And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed: for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His Mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Mary went to visit Elizabeth, who was also expecting. Elizabeth tells Mary that upon hearing her voice, the child within her leapt in her womb. We know that John the Baptist is her son, but Elizabeth only knows that she is pregnant and her husband has become mute. Mary answers with this song of praise.

I can imagine that it was not easy being Mary. She had to explain to Joseph, and her parents, that she was pregnant. I am not sure her saying an angel of the Lord came to her was any more believable in her day than it would be in ours. I imagine she was taking refuge with Elizabeth. Maybe her parents sent her there. She may have hoped that she would be greeted, but I doubt she was prepared for the joy Elizabeth had for her. Mary’s response has become a treasured song. We too can join in praising God for all the ways that God is faithful. 

Listen to “The Magnificat” arranged by John Rutter, English composer and conductor.

Pray: Steadfast God, we give you thanks and praise for your faithfulness.

Day 20

Psalm 98: O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

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.

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.  

When I was a new pastor, I was a stickler for only singing Advent hymns during Advent. Now, I feel differently. The music of Christmas is full of so much meaning for us. Some of it is nostalgia, some of it is joy, some of it is the shared experience of so many beloved hymns, and even secular music.

I invite you today to sing with gusto. John Wesley advises to learn hymns and sing them spiritually, with an eye towards God. Sing alone in your car or with others. What are some of your favorite Christmas tunes? Listen to one, or several, and sing!

Listen and sing along to a medley by a worldwide United Methodist virtual choir, then listen to “O, Come, O Come, Emmanuel” by Ntokozo Mbambo and read about the hymn’s history. 

Pray: I make a joyful noise to praise you, O God!

Day 21

Isaiah 52:7-8: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’ Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices together, they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion.

How beautiful are the feet of one who brings messages of peace, good news and salvation! 

I admit that I do not find feet beautiful, and I wonder if Isaiah didn’t either. However, if someone is bringing the good news that we have been longing to hear, we might think that the feet that traveled to share that message are indeed beautiful. A sight for sore eyes, if you will. No matter the state of your actual feet, your feet could be beautiful!

You could choose to be a messenger of God’s hope, peace, joy and love this Advent season. You could share what God has done for you, and how being a follower of Jesus makes a difference in your life. You could bring love in the form of winter clothing, toys, food or time given to a shelter for the unhoused. You could give your voice and presence to justice work. 

However you choose to live out your faith this Advent season, may you do it with joy.   

Listen to “Angels We Have Heard on High” in Korean and sing along with the Glorias. Then, listen to “Do You Hear What I Hear?” by Whitney Houston.

Pray: Here I am, God, send me.

Reprinted from the Rev. McDonald’s blog: redheadedrev.org

All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

The Rev. Tiffany McDonald is an Ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church serving in the Minnesota Annual Conference. She has served as a University Chaplain, solo pastor and associate pastor, and is currently appointed to family leave. Tiffany lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota, with her husband and two daughters. 

This page was published on November 20, 2024. The contact is Laura Buchanan.