“So I’m waiting for the King to come
galloping out of the clouds while the
angel armies sing He’s gonna gather
His people in the shadow of His wings
And I’m gonna raise my voice with the
song of the redeemed, ‘Cause all this
darkness is a small and passing thing!”
-Andrew Peterson 

The refrain of these weary days for me has been this song, rooted in my hope that the Apostle Paul’s words are as true now as the day he penned them centuries ago: 'For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.’ (Romans 8:18). 

In recent months the idea has begun to take root that joy can grow from even the weary soil of waiting and longing. The burden of proof of joy isn’t on me to experience a particular emotion; the burden of proof of joy is on the Good King whose first Advent brought good news of great joy and whose second Advent will bring the full and final glory of sons and daughters. 

The proof and force of such joy are found in this Good King, whose birth, life, death, and resurrection mean full and lasting confidence that He is our good. He withholds no good thing from us, and it is the joy of the Lord which strengthens us for the weariness we face and enlivens us to obey along the way (Nehemiah 8:10). We don’t wait as hopeless wanderers. Every heart that belongs to Jesus joyfully prepares Him room. 

Consider the joy of the Lord to the tired shepherds, who were keeping watch over their flock by night. They were met with terror and joy in one instant, as the angelic host proclaimed the news to them: 

Fear not! I bring you good news of great joy! Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord! 

When the shepherds, trembling or tired or fearful or excited, made their way to Bethlehem and found that it was true? They went away rejoicing. 

Consider the joy of the Lord to the magi - those wise kings who tracked the constellations and prophecies. They followed the unusual star across deserts and towns, in search of what they 

believed would be incarnate deity. When they finally made it to where Joseph and Mary, we read in Matthew: 

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the
place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 

The constant in these experiences of joy was that God’s word had proven true. The shepherds, the wise men, and we ourselves have experienced joy as strength and rest for weariness because what God has said was TRUE and they/we have seen the hand of God move to fulfill His promises. 

Here is where we may rest this Christmas: joy is a good gift of our Father who loves us. We don’t wait like the Israelites, with the same wondering and longing for the advent of Christ, because we have seen His glory, in the Scriptures and in our days. We’ve experienced His holy consolation to our weary souls, though we do not now see Him. And because of His indwelling life, we can joyfully prepare for the coming glory because, as Peter wrote: 

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him,
you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory... 

Reflection by
SARAH SANDEL